ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Elmhurst drilled 14 of 27 three-point attempts and piled up a commanding 43-28 edge on the boards Tuesday to hand Augustana its first home loss of the season 89-73 at Carver Center. The Vikings dropped to 5-3 on the year and in the CCIW, while the Bluejays improved to 5-1 overall and in the league.
 
There were five lead changes in the first 2½ minutes. Daniel Carr's (Regis Jesuit HS, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) step-back jumper at the 17:46 mark put Augustana on top 7-6, but Jonathan Zapinski answered with a bucket that sparked a 7-0 run that put Elmhurst on top 13-7. Freshman Tyler Knuth (Guilford HS, Rockford, Ill.) beat the shot clock with a three-pointer and Luke Johnson (Longmont HS, Longmont, Colo.) added another with 14:40 left in the half to pull the Vikings even at 13-all.
 
Carter Duwa (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) scored at 11:47 to put the hosts up 17-15 and they wouldn't trail again until Lavon Thomas' three-pointer 8:10 before halftime gave the Bluejays a 24-23 advantage. Thomas' shot ignited a 12-0 burst that gave Elmhurst the lead for good. Dominic Genco's conventional three-point play at the 6:24 mark pushed the margin to double figures for the first time at 33-23. It reached 11 on another Thomas triple before treys by Nate Ortiz (St. Charles East HS, St. Charles, Ill.) and Duwa trimmed Augustana's halftime deficit to 42-35.
 
The Vikings got as close as five (48-43) on a Matt Hanushewsky (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) basket early in the second half, but Jay Militello scored twice in a 7-0 spurt that put the Bluejays back in control. The spread would dip below double digits just once (60-51) the rest of the way—on a Carr three-pointer with 12:54 to play. A Bryce Drews' trey in the final minute gave Elmhurst its biggest lead of the night (89-71) before a Carr layup accounted for the final.
 
Carr logged his fifth straight double-double, with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Duwa added 15 points and Justin Bottorff (Quincy Notre Dame HS, Quincy, Ill.) 10. Hanushewsky had four assists in his first career start. Lavon Thomas led four Bluejays in double figures with game highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds.
 
Augustana shot .464 (26-56) from the field .417 (10-24) and .846 (11-13) from the free throw line. Elmhurst converted 33 of 71 (.465) from the field, but 14 of 27 (.519) from long range, and nine of 11 (.818) at the foul line. The Bluejays were plus 15 on the boards and committed 11 turnovers to the Vikings' 14.
 
Coach Steve Schafer's club travels to Waukesha, Wisconsin to face Carroll on Thursday, February 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.