Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton men's basketball team fell to 10th-ranked Elmhurst (15-1, 6-1 CCIW) on Saturday evening in King Arena. Wheaton is now 10-6 on the season, with a 4-3 record in CCIW play.
Anajuwon Spencer led the Thunder with 20 points and 11 rebounds to record a "double-double". Nyameye Adom scored 18 points and dished out a career-high nine assists. Luke Anthony scored 18 points off the Thunder bench, making a trio of three-point field goals. Anthony added six rebounds.
Cade Alioth scored eight points with eight rebounds. Gavin Hawkins added six points and Tyson Cruickshank scored five points with five rebounds.
The Thunder shot 44.9% (31-of-69) from the field tonight, including 33.3% (11-of-33) from three-point range. Elmhurst posted a 43.1% (25-of-58) field goal percentage, including 47.1% (8-of-17) behind the three-point arc. Elmhurst shot 68.6% (24-of-35) at the free throw line and Wheaton posted a 25% (2-for-8) free throw percentage. Wheaton held a 42-41 advantage in rebounding and the Thunder owned a 12-11 edge on the offensive glass.
Wheaton led 18-15 with 12:00 left in the first half when the Bluejays put together a 15-5 run to give the guests a 30-23 lead with 6:40 remaining before the halftime intermission. Elmhurst maintained its lead for the remainder of the first half to lead the Thunder 37-35 at halftime.
Elmhurst opened the second half with 12 unanswered points to extend its lead to 47-35 with 16:55 remaining in the second half. The Bluejays led by as many as 17 points in the second half. The guests' final double-digit lead of the game was a 10-point bulge at 77-67 with 1:37 left in the game when Anthony made a three-pointer to cut the Elmhurst lead to 77-70.
Elmhurst missed a shot attempt on its next possession and Adom's layup cut the guests' lead to 77-72 with 1:06 remaining. A basket by Elmhurst's Lavon Thomas and a free throw by the Bluejays' Jay Militello gave the guests an eight-point lead at 80-72 with 14-seconds left in the game. Wheaton quickly responded with a three-pointer by Adom with 10-seconds left to trim Elmhurst's advantage to five points at 80-75. Collin Uveges stole the ball on Elmhurst's in-bounds pass. Wheaton was awarded a trio of free throw attempts, but was unable to convert. Elmhurst made two free throws with three-seconds left in the game to escape with the seven-point win at Wheaton.
Jake Rhode led Elmhurst with 24 points, making four three-pointers. Derek Dotlich scored 20 points with three steals. Thomas added 14 points with 10 rebounds to tally a "double-double". Dominic Genco scored nine points with six rebounds.
Wheaton returns to action Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. when Carroll University (9-7, 2-5 CCIW) visits King Arena for a CCIW matchup.