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Bluejay Hoops Squad Downs Eureka 64-51
Box Score
ELMHURST, Ill. - The 18th-ranked Elmhurst College men's basketball team ran its record to 3-0 by defeating Eureka College 64-51.
The Bluejays had to come-from-behind after trailing Eureka for the first 32 minutes of the game. Elmhurst was ice cold out of the gate, as the Bluejays were held without a bucket for nearly eight minutes. Eureka (0-4) built a 15-4 lead midway through the first half. The Bluejays chipped away and pulled to within a point with just under two minutes, but Eureka held on for a 24-21 halftime lead.
Eureka pushed its lead up to nine points in the opening seconds of the second half, taking advantage of a pair of technical fouls on Elmhurst.
The Bluejays slowly began to chip away at the lead, pulling to within two points (38-40) with 12:04 to play. A pair of free throws by Joe Acosta (Elmhurst/York) tied the score at 40. After Eureka grabbed the lead on a Mark Darnall jumper, the Bluejays opened up an 11-0 run to grab a 51-42 lead with 4:42 to play. Eureka pulled to within five points with 3:13 remaining, but Elmhurst put the game away with a 9-0 run.
Elmhurst shot only 36.8 percent in the first half (7-of-19), but hit 50.0 percent (13-of-26) of its shots in the second half. The Bluejays finished the game shooting 44.4 percent (20-of-45) from the floor and 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from long range. The Bluejays were solid from the free throw line, hitting 19-of-22 attempts.
Eureka shot 32.8 percent (19-of-58) from the floor and 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from beyond the arc. The Red Devils converted only 9-of-18 free throw attempts.
Brent Ruch (Farmer City/Blue Ridge) recorded his second consecutive double-double, shooting 6-of-6 from the floor and scoring 16 points. He also pulled down 12 rebounds in the win. Ryan Burks (Manito/Midwest Central) led the Bluejays in scoring with 17. Robert Strzemp (Oak Park/Oak Park-River Forest) came off the bench to score 15.
Mark Darnall led Eureka with 19 points while Brady Wildenradt added 11.
Elmhurst travels to UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday, November 28.
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