ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst University men's basketball team used a strong first-half effort to hang on and defeat Millikin University, 61-53, Saturday afternoon inside R.A. Faganel Hall.

Elmhurst (15-3, 7-2 CCIW) took advantage of their strength in the paint, outscoring the Big Blue 42-18 in the painted area, and used a second-straight double double from Jonathan Zapinski (16 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks) to grab their seventh conference victory of the season.

John Ittounas led all scorers with 20 points while also adding a pair of assists, while Quinn Pemberton had a strong defensive effort with three blocked shots. Zapinski, Pemberton, and Ocean Johnson all added three assists on the evening.

Millikin (6-12, 2-7 CCIW) had three scorers in double-digits, with Nate Straughter leading the Big Blue with 16 points.

In a strong defensive start that saw Zapinski block a pair of shots, the Bluejays opened a 12-2 lead with 13:57 left in the first period. Millikin found their offensive rhythm to tighten the lead to three, but Elmhurst maintained their double-digit lead throughout the rest of the opening half, taking a 15-point lead into halftime.

The Bluejays started the second half cold on offense, missing their opening four shots while Millikin hit a pair of threes to cut the deficit to five before Ittounas made the Bluejays' first field goal in the second half at the 15:36 mark. Millikin continued to fight, knotting the game at 41 with ten minutes to go, but Elmhurst extended the lead to six yet again. Both teams traded possessions with made and missed baskets, and a layup that cut the Bluejay lead to two forced a timeout with 1:21 to go. 

Zapinski scored a jumper to extend the lead to four, and a strong defensive effort stopped the Big Blue and forced the visitors to foul to put Elmhurst at the free-throw line. A pair of free throws and a long pass layup by Ittounas allowed the Bluejays to escape with the eight-point CCIW victory.

UP NEXT

Elmhurst hits the road for a pair of conference matchups next week, beginning next Wednesday, Jan. 24 with a game at Augustana at 7:00 p.m.

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