Elmhurst, Ill. - The Wheaton men's basketball team picked up a conference road win on Saturday afternoon as the Thunder picked up a 98-95 victory in two overtimes at Elmhurst College (5-2, 2-1 CCIW). Wheaton improves to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in CCIW play with today's win.
Aston Francis scored a career-high 45 points in tonight's win. Francis' effort ties for the fifth-highest single-game effort in program history and is the most by a Thunder player since Kent Raymond scored 47 points against Whitworth University on March 14, 2008 in the NCAA Tournament. The Thunder junior made eight three-pointers tonight. He distributed four assists and grabbed five rebounds.
Spencer Peterson shot 4-for-7 from the field, with 12 points and four rebounds. Luke Peters scored 11 points, with four rebounds and three assists. Ricky Samuelson and Jay Spencer each scored nine points. Samuelson and Spencer each had five rebounds. Kobe Eichelberger scored eight points with four rebounds.
Wheaton led the Bluejays 35-28 at halftime. The Thunder extended the lead in the second half to as many as 13 points with a 54-41 lead with 14:30 remaining in the game. Peterson's basket with 8:59 remaining in the second half gave Wheaton an 11-point bulge at 68-57. The Bluejays responded with a 10-1 run to cut the Thunder advantage to 69-67 with 5:30 left in regulation.
Elmhurst's Lavon Thomas' layup with 2:09 left in the second half tied the game at 71-71. Francis responded on the next possession with a basket to give the Thunder a 73-71 lead with 1:48 remaining in regulation. Elmhurst's Jeremy Ireland made two free throws with 1:13 left to tie the matchup at 73-73. Neither team was able to score in the final minute of the second half as the matchup went into overtime.
Elmhurst led 78-75 with 3:59 left in the first overtime when Francis made a three-pointer to tie the game at 78-78. Elmhurst turned the ball over on the hosts' next possession and after a series of Wheaton misses and Thunder offensive rebounds, Jay Spencer drained a three-pointer thanks to a timely assist by Francis. Spencer's trey gave Wheaton an 81-78 lead with 2:44 left in the opening overtime. Peters made one of two free throw attempts with 2:12 left to extend Wheaton's lead to 82-78. Elmhurst's Jake Rhode scored seven points in the final 1:50 of the overtime, including a jumper with 27-seconds left as the contest was tied at 86-86 to go into the second overtime session.
Francis made one of two free throws early in the second overtime period and his layup with 3:35 left gave the guests an 89-86 lead. A basket by Elmhurst's Ryan Patton cut the Thunder lead to 89-88 with 3:20 left in the second OT. Francis made his eighth three-pointer with three minutes left to give Wheaton a 92-88 lead. He extended the guests lead to 94-88 on a basket with 1:16 left in the second OT session.
Elmhurst chipped away at Wheaton's lead and a missed Thunder free throw with six-seconds left was rebounded by Rhode, who had a three-point attempt at the buzzer to give the hosts an opportunity to tie. Rhode's trey missed and was rebounded Samuelson to secure the Wheaton victory. Francis scored 10 of Wheaton's 12 points in the second overtime.
Wheaton shot 46.3% (31-of-67) from the field, including 41.9% (13-for-31) from three-point range. The Bluejays posted a 43.4% (36-of-83) field goal percentage, including 20% (4-for-20) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 74.2% (23-of-31) from the free throw line and the Bluejays had an 82.6% (19-of-23) effort at the charity stripe. Elmhurst held a commanding 54-35 rebounding advantage, including 23-8 on the offensive glass.
Rhode led the Bluejays with 26 points and 10 assists. Ireland scored 19 points, with 15 rebounds and three assists. Thomas scored 16 points with eight rebounds and Patton tallied 13 points with six rebounds.
Wheaton hosts Alma College next Saturday in King Arena for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.