Elmhurst, Ill. - A strong second half from the hosts pushed the ninth-ranked Elmhurst College Bluejays past Wheaton by a score of 70-62 on Saturday afternoon at R.A. Faganel Hall. Wheaton led 33-25 at the halftime break but nine straight points by the Bluejays to start the second half nullified the Wheaton momentum and send the Bluejays on an extended 26-8 run. With the victory, Elmhurst improves to 18-3 on the season and 9-2 in conference action. Wheaton falls to 5-17 overall and 1-10 in the CCIW.

The Bluejays opened the game leading 7-2 and pushed that lead to 16-8 seven minutes into the action. Wheaton responded with a 14-0 run that saw the Thunder pull even on a three-point play by Jonathan Berntsen and take the lead on Riley Teuscher's jumper. Wheaton pushed lead to 24-18 before the Bluejays were able to stop a drought of nearly seven minutes from the field. Wheaton would lead by as many as nine points on a pair of occasions but would settle for a 33-25 halftime lead when Berntsen (PICTURED RIGHT) hit a jumper in the closing seconds of the half.

Elmhurst opened the second half with a nine point surge and took the lead at 34-33 on Pat Coleman's steal and lay-up just two minutes into the half. Both teams traded baskets until a Bluejay three-pointer gave the hosts the lead for good at 39-37 with 15:31 to play. The three also sparked a 15-4 Bluejay run that saw Brandon Schwebke hit consecutive three-pointers to give the hosts their biggest lead of the night at 51-41 with 10:26 to play.

The lead would reach as many as 11 at 54-43 with 7:09 to play before Wheaton answered with a 7-0 run over the next five minutes to get within 56-52 with 3:42 to play. Elmhurst would score the next four points to quell the Thunder momentum and would coast down the stretch to the 70-62 victory.

Wheaton shot 41.4% (24-58) from the field despite an anemic 21.4% (3-14) from the byond the arc. The Thunder connected on 84.6% (11-13) of its free throw attempts. The Bluejays finished at 41.7% (25-60) from the field and 38.1% (8-21) from the three-point line. Elmhurst shot 85.7% (12-14) at the charity stripe. Teh Bluejays won the rebounding battle 38-32.

Michael Berg led the Thunder with a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double performance. Jonathan Berntsen also finished with 17 points. Ricky Samuelson added 14 points. Erik Crittenden led the hosts with a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Wheaton will travel to Decatur on Wednesday night for a 7 PM showdown against the Millikin Big Blue.