Elmhurst, Ill. – The Thunder women's basketball team traveled to Elmhurst University on Saturday afternoon for the fifth of six-consecutive road contests. The Bluejays (7-1, 1-1 CCIW) defeated the Thunder 73-58 in the CCIW matchup. Wheaton is now 5-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play as the Thunder travel to UW-Whitewater on Wednesday for a non-conference matchup against the Warhawks at 5:30 p.m.

Grace Kizer led the Thunder with 11 points tonight as she made a trio of three-pointers, and she distributed three assists. Kate Oliver added 10 points, and Lily Caddow scored seven points, with five rebounds. Alexis Martin scored six points, with four rebounds off the Thunder bench.

The Thunder posted a 46.9% (23-of-49) field goal percentage in the game, including a 35.7% (5-of-14) effort from three-point range. The Bluejays shot 42.6% (26-of-61) from the field, including 23.8% (5-for-21) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 87.5% (7-of-8) at the free throw line, while the Bluejays shot 76.2% (16-of-21). Elmhurst out-rebounded the Thunder 29-26 tonight, including a 16-10 advantage on the offensive glass for the hosts, despite Wheaton's 16-5 scoring advantage in second-chance points.  

Wheaton started out strong in earning a 12-7 lead with 6:00 left in the first quarter. Caddow hit a three-pointer to give the guests the five-point lead. The Bluejays slowly chipped away at Wheaton's advantage as the hosts led 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.

Elmhurst led the Thunder 24-23 with 3:30 left in the second quarter when Kizer made the first of two-consecutive three-pointers to give the guests another five-point lead at 29-24 with 1:55 remaining in the first half. Wheaton led the hosts 33-32 at the halftime intermission.

Kizer was 3-for-3 from behind the arc in the first half as she led all players with 11 points in the first half. Jenna Hunter scored six points off the Wheaton bench. Sierra Gibson and Kristin Bukata each scored seven points to lead the Bluejays in first-half scoring. Cierra Steemer grabbed five rebounds to lead all players on the boards in the opening half.

The contest was tightly contested for much of the third quarter. The Bluejays led 44-43 with 1:48 left in the third quarter when Elmhurst's Lindsay Novak made a three-pointer that sparked an 8-0 run to close out the period for the hosts. The key Bluejays' run gave the hosts a 52-43 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Bluejays continued to build on the lead in the fourth quarter, leading by as much as 17 points in the final period.

Kristin Bukata scored 22 points to lead Elmhurst. Steemer tallied 12 points, with 10 rebounds to record a 'double-double' for the hosts.