The Millikin basketball team lost to Wittenberg University 79-64 at the Rhodes College Thanksgiving Tournament in Memphis, Tennessee on November 28.  Wittenberg improves to 4-0 while Millikin goes to 3-3.

         Wittenberg opened the game with an 8-0 run until senior Tommy Pilackas got the Big Blue on the board with a three-pointer.  Millikin battled back and tied the game at 11-11 with Pilackas scoring seven of Millikin's first 11 points.

         After the Tigers pushed out to an advantage, the Big Blue's TJ Sims tied the game at 21-21 with 7:37 left in the first half.  Nick Novak would give Millikin its only lead of the first half putting Millikin up 24-23 on a three-pointer.   Wittenberg would answer with seven straight points to regain the advantage.

Millikin trailed at the half 38-33. 

         Wittenberg hit on 50 percent of its shots in the first half compared to 39 percent for the Big Blue.  The Tigers out rebounded 20-11 in the first half.

         Millikin opened the second half on a 7-0 run capped by a three pointer by Elijah Kinmon to give the Big Blue a 40-38 advantage.  The Tigers answered with its own 10-2 run to go back in front for good leading 48-40 with 16 minutes left in the game.    

         Wittenberg shot 60 percent from the field for the game including hitting on 44 percent from three-point range.  Millikin shot 42 percent from the field.

Wittenberg dominated the glass our rebounding Millikin 38-21.

         Sims led Millikin with 17 points followed by TJ Griffin with 16 points.  All of Griffin's points came in the second half.  Pilackas had 11 points and Nick Novak came off the bench to score 10.  Pilackas led the Big Blue with five rebounds.

         Wittenberg's top scorer was Cody Phillippi with 16 points followed by Jaelin Williams with 11 points.  Shane Edwards had a game high 10 rebounds for the Tigers.

         Millikin will play on Sunday at 12 p.m. for third place against the loser of the other tournament semifinal featuring the host Rhodes vs. Simpson College.