Decatur, Ill. - A strong opening twenty minutes helped the Thunder men's basketball team stay unbeaten on the young season with an 82-61 victory at Millikin on Thursday night. The victory moves Wheaton to 2-0 on the season ahead of Saturday's rematch with the Big Blue at King Arena. Millikin falls to 0-2 on the season.

Wheaton shot the ball well, finishing the night at 42.6% (26-61) from the field and 41.2% (7-17) from the three-point line. Millikin shot 39% (23-59) from the field but just 21.4% (3-14) from beyond the arc. The Big Blue finished at 63.2% (12-19) from the free throw line, while Wheaton capitalized on 31 free throw attempts, making 23 for a 74.2% clip. Wheaton took advantage of 19 Millikin turnovers, converting them into 29 points while turning the ball over just eight times leading to eight Millikin points.

The Thunder never trailed on Thursday night, capitalizing on a hustle play off the opening tip to lead to a wide-open Gavin Hawkins three-pointer just eight seconds into the game. Millikin would close to 5-4 but an extended 15-2 Thunder run over the next five minutes to lead 21-6 after four straight points from Cade Alioth.

Millikin closed to within 25-16 with 6:49 to play in the half, but nine straight Thunder points, capped by a Tyson Cruickshank three-pointer, pushed the lead back into the double digits. Collin Uveges pushed the lead as high as 22 points twice down the stretch en route to a 41-21 halftime lead.

Wheaton would lead by as many as 25 points in the second half while letting Millikin get no closer than 15 points as the Thunder cruised to the 82-61 victory.

Nyameye Adom led the Thunder offense with 31 points, including 22 points in the second half, to go with six rebounds. Collin Uveges finished with 12 points and four assists, Gavin Hawkins tallied nine points, and Cade Alioth and Luke Anthony each had eight points with Alioth adding seven rebounds.