Box Score

LISLE, Ill. - The Benedictine University men's basketball team opened the 2013-14 season with a one-point loss to Elmhurst College 77-76 in a back and forth affair on Wednesday night.

Elmhurst played a pair of games over the weekend and quickly opened the game with five consecutive points. Benedictine battled back with nine straight to grab a 9-5 advantage. Tim McGinty drilled a three with 11:41 to go in the half to put the Eagles ahead 15-8.

Elmhurst chipped away, staying close. The visitors retook the lead at 24-23 with 4:34 left in the opening frame. John Dodson finished a three-point play with 2:02 remaining to put Benedictine in front 31-28, but Elmhurst scored the final seven points of the half to lead 35-31. The opening frame featured six lead changes and a pair of ties. Michael Woolf drained five triples in the opening half.

Four consecutive points for Benedictine to open the second half evened the game at 35. Trailing 41-40, Benedictine embarked on a 10-3 run to nab a 50-44 lead. Michael Blaszczyk capped the run with a three. Newcomer Tyler Thurston also scored four points in the stretch. Benedictine went on to move ahead by nine points at 56-47 with a Tahron Harvey tip at the 11:05 mark.

The visitors again chipped away, taking the lead with 4:37 remaining. Elmhurst led by as many as six but Benedictine dwindled the deficit to just a single point with :06 to play. Following a turnover after a pair of free throws from Woolf, a last gasp trey missed and Elmhurst hung on for the victory.

Three players scored in double figures for the Eagles led by Woolf with 22. Blaszczyk notched 17 in his college debut with nine rebounds while John Dodson kicked in 12 with five assists. Benedictine finished the game shooting 36.5 percent.

Benedictine (0-1) will take part in the Carthage College Men's Basketball Classic this weekend. The tournament opens on Friday with a 6:00 p.m. contest against the University of Dubuque.