The first half was evenly matched between the two teams. After the Titans established a quick 8-4 lead, the Bluejays opened up a 13-4 run, taking a five-point advantage at 17-12 with 13:30 to play. The two teams traded buckets for the next four minutes, until Evan Patchett hit a lay-up to give Elmhurst a 25-19 lead with 9:30 remaining in the half. The Titans responded with a 6-0 run to knot the score at 25-25. The Bluejays reestablished a five-point advantage at 30-25 with 5:15 to play after a free throw from Chris Martin. The Titans answered right back knotting the score at 32-32. The score remained tied at 37-all when Nick Michael scored on a lay-in to give Elmhurst a 39-37 lead with one minute to play. The Titans scored three points on a free throws, one from Jason Fisher with 35 seconds to play and a pair from Chris Jones with seven seconds remaining to take a 40-39 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half belonged to the Titans as Illinois Wesleyan scored the first four points to take a 44-39 lead. Buckets by Jay Brizzolara and Nick Michael brought the Bluejays to within one point. Elmhurst fell silent in from the floor, missing its next nine shots while the Titans quickly pushed their lead to 10 points at 53-43 with 12:25 to play. The Bluejays made one more charge, pulling to within three points at 55-52 with 7:40 remaining. The Bluejays cooled off again unable to hit a field goal for the next six minutes, while the Titans pulled away, taking a 16-point lead with 1:34 to play. The Titans held their lead, winning by a 75-59 final score.
Elmhurst shot just 34.4 percent from the floor in the game (21-of-61), but managed just 18.8 percent in the second half (6-of-32). The Bluejays shot 31.6 percent from 3-point range (6-of-19). The Titans finished 55.1 percent shooting from the floor (27-of-49) and 5-of-14 from the arc (35.7 percent).
Michael led the Bluejays in the loss with 18 points and eight rebounds. Martin finished with 13 points and eight boards, while Patchett chipped in with 12 points. David Gershenzon netted 10 points in the loss.
Keelan Amelianovich and Corey Jones led the Titans with 15 points each. Adam Dauksas poured in 13 points in the win. Zach Freeman netted 11 points and pulled down eight boards for the Titans.
Elmhurst will host Millikin University on Wednesday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m.