The Carthage College men's basketball team (7-8, 1-3 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) opened a brutal week on its schedule with a 78-58 loss to No. 2 Elmhurst College (14-1, 4-0 CCIW) on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.  On Saturday, Jan. 16, the Red Men play host to No. 3 Augustana College (Ill., 15-1, 3-1) in a 7 p.m. contest. The Vikings were a 76-49 winner over No. 25 North Central College (10-5, 3-1) on Wednesday.

Elmhurst broke a 12-12 first-half tie with a 13-0 run that upped the Bluejays' lead to 13 points, 25-12, at 7:21.  Elmhurst continued to pull away, increasing its lead to as much as 20 points in the period, 42-22, at 1:33.  The Bluejays led by 17 points at halftime, 42-25.  "We're not capable of getting a run ourselves," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic, "and that's what makes a difference in these games.  Part of that is our inability to control both boards.  We really don't give ourselves those opportunities.  Carthage never got any closer than 14 points in the second half, as Elmhurst pulled away to a 24-point lead, 66-42, at 7:28.  The Bluejays went on to win by 20, 78-58. 

Elmhurst shot 50 percent (29-of-58), including 10-of-24 from three-point range, while Carthage shot just 31 percent (16-of-51), including seven-of-17 from three-point range.  The Bluejays got to the free-throw line 15 times and made 10, while the Red Men connected on 19-of-22.  Elmhurst won the rebounding battled by a 40-30 margin.

Kyle Wuest (Sr., Edinburgh, Ind.) led Elmhurst with 14 points on four-of-10 field goals, including three-of-five three-pointers, along with three-of-four free throws and seven rebounds.  Eric Leonard came off the bench to add 13 points on five-of-eight shooting, along with four assists.  Jordon Kedrowski (Fr., Bolingbrook, Ill./Downers Grove-North) led Carthage with a game-high 21 points on six-of-12 field goals, including three-of-four from three-point range, along with six-of-seven free throws.  Sean Valentine (Sr., Cary, Ill./Crystal Lake-Prairie Ridge) came off the bench to score 10 points with four rebounds.

"Elmhurst is really good," said Djurickovic.  "They're wonderfully coached.  They're not a crazily-talented team, but the whole is better than the parts.  You have to take your hat off to them.  When they get a good shot, they make it, and they have enough of an inside game to get some stuff done.  We're not at that stage.  We need to do a better job of getting the shots we want.  We need to re-group, and we want to get the job done on Saturday against Augustana.  If you don't have the strength to play against them, it can be really tough, because they give you nothing.  They play relentlessly."