STORM LAKE, Iowa. - The Elmhurst University men's basketball team wrapped up their three-game road trip Saturday afternoon, defeating Buena Vista University 88-60 inside Siebens Fieldhouse.

The Bluejays (4-0) were led by an efficient double-double from Jonathan Zapinski, who tallied his second-straight double-double with 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds while also blocking four shots. Junior Tagen Pearson led Elmhurst in scoring with 20 points, while Wesley Hooker recorded 18 points, eight rebounds, and four steals. As a team, the Bluejays were 11-for-20 from the three-point line and nabbed 11 steals on the afternoon.

Buena Vista (2-2) were led by Zane Neubaum, who matched Pearson as the game's leading scorer with 20 points, and also led the Beavers in rebounds with six.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Elmhurst began the game quick thanks to a pair of layups from Zapinski, and Ocean Johnson added five points early to build an early eight-point lead. With seven minutes to go in the first half, the Beavers mounted a 11-1 scoring run spanning three minutes to even the game at 28 with four minutes to go. The Bluejays answered with an 11-point burst of their own, but a pair of turnovers by Elmhurst allowed Buena Vista to capitalize on a pair of baskets to shorten the Bluejay lead to seven at the intermission.

The Bluejays again started the second half of the game hot with an 11-3 scoring run, pushing the lead to 18 with 13 minutes to go. Pearson then turned it on from behind-the-arc, hitting three of his five treys in the game in the final eight minutes of the game to extend the Bluejay lead to 31, their largest of the game. Though the Beavers were able to grab a last-second basket, the Bluejays finished the game strong on the defensive side of the ball by holding Buena Vista to just 32 percent shooting from the field, sealing the 28-point victory in Iowa.

UP NEXT

The Bluejays begin a three-game home stand next Tuesday, Nov. 22, hosting Manchester University at 7:00 p.m. CT in the second half a doubleheader with the Elmhurst University women's basketball team, the first home doubleheader of the season for both teams.

FOLLOW THE BLUEJAYS

Be sure to keep up with all Elmhurst University Athletics content by following the Bluejays on Twitter (@elmhurstbluejay), Facebook (Elmhurst University Athletics) and Instagram (@elmhurstbluejays), and tune in to elmhurstbluejays.com for the latest news and information.