The Millikin men's basketball team lost to #16 Elmhurst College 88-72 on January 31 in Elmhurst, Illinois.  The Bluejays are now 16-4, 6-3 while Millikin falls to 8-12, 3-6.
    The Big Blue stayed with the nationally ranked Bluejays in the first half.
With the game tied at 7-7, Elmhurst went on a 15-4 run to open up a 22-11 lead with 14:05 left in the first half.  Millikin would then answer with its own 14-3 run and took the lead at 25-24 on a TJ Giffin basket with 7:31 remaining in the half.  Brandon Schwebke would then answer for the Bluejays hitting one of his four three pointers to make it 27-25 Elmhurst.  Millikin was down one at 32-31 after a TJ Sims jumper before Elmhurst closed out the half on a 8-2 run to lead 40-33 at halftime.
    The Bluejays controlled the second half.  Millikin would get to within five points early in the half before Elmhurt pulled away leading by as many as 20 points.  Millikin would cut the lead to 10 points with two minutes left, but could get no closer.
    Millikin shot 38 percent from the field while Elmhurst shot 51 percent.  A big difference in the game was the Bluejays success from behind the three point arc.  Elmhurst hit on 12-23 (52 percent) from long range while Millikin was 6-16 (37.5 percent).
    Sims led Millikin with 27 points with Griffin adding 17.  Nathan Biggs had eight points and team high 12 rebounds.
    Elmhurst's top scorer was Bryant Ackerman with 21 points including five three-pointers.  Schwebke finished with 16 points.  
    Millikin will host Illinois Wesleyan on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Griswold Center.