Men’s Basketball Falls In Season Opener To Millikin

The Westminster men’s basketball team opened the 2014-15 season with a match-up with Millikin University at the CCIW/SLIAC Challenge. Millikin defeated the Westminster Blue Jays in the opening game of the men’s tournament, 68-52.

Millikin started the game with an 11-0 run before the Blue Jays were able to find the net. Millikin held the lead throughout the first half, but two layups by senior Verdis Lee Jr. and a layup freshman Tanner Cochran in the final two minutes of the half brought the game to 35-27, Millikin.

With 12:21 remaining in the game, Cochran put up a layup to cut Millikin’s lead to 46-34. Thirty seconds later junior Kellen Brondel had a steal, followed by a dunk. His and one was good, cutting Millikin’s lead to single digits. Lee Jr. put in a jump shot to bring the game to 46-39.

Millikin pulled ahead in the final nine minutes, ending the game with a 68-52 loss.

Brondel led the Blue Jays with 10 points, and Lee Jr. led the game with 10 boards.

The Blue Jays face Elmhurst College on Sunday, November 16, at 3:00 p.m.