Sangamon Sun

Grinnell, Iowa – In a Midwest Conference men's basketball game held at Darby Gymnasium on Saturday, Grinnell College defeated Illinois College with a score of 123-110. The outcome resulted in Illinois College's overall record falling to 14-6 and their conference record to 7-4. Meanwhile, Grinnell improved to 15-5 overall and 8-3 in the conference.

The Pioneers established an early lead, twice reaching a ten-point advantage during the first half. Illinois College managed to rally back, briefly taking the lead when Buzz Ritzel dunked with just over three minutes remaining in the half. Despite this effort, Grinnell closed the first period with a run that put them ahead by six points at halftime.

In the second half, Josh Harris of Illinois College scored on a tip-in that tied the game early on. However, this was as close as Illinois College would get for the rest of the match. Grinnell expanded their lead to as much as sixteen points before securing their victory.

Ritzel and Harris were standout performers for Illinois College, scoring 34 and 33 points respectively. Seth Doss contributed with double figures by adding 16 points along with eleven rebounds. Jaylen Swinney also had an impressive performance with thirteen rebounds.

The defeat ended Illinois College's four-game winning streak but they have still won seven of their last nine games. It was noted that this game marked Ritzel's third time surpassing thirty points in recent matches and Harris's second such performance this season. The team’s total of 110 points was a season-high for them.

Looking ahead, Illinois College will continue their road trip with an upcoming game against Monmouth scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.