Sangamon Sun

Monmouth College's basketball team secured a victory against Illinois College in a Midwest Conference game on Wednesday at Huff Athletic Center. The final score was 73-68, with Monmouth maintaining its position as the league leader.

Illinois College now holds a record of 14-7 overall and 7-5 in conference play, while Monmouth improved to 16-5 overall and 10-2 in the conference.

The Fighting Scots established an early lead with a 6-0 run just four minutes into the game, which they maintained throughout. They led by as much as 12 points towards the end of the first half and went into halftime with a score of 32-24.

In the second half, Monmouth extended their lead to as much as 21 points before Illinois College mounted a comeback attempt. The Blueboys managed to reduce the deficit to four points in the final minute but could not close the gap completely.

Josh Harris was Illinois College's top scorer with 22 points and six rebounds. Buzz Ritzel added another 14 points, while Ty Lenhardt contributed with 11 points for Illinois College, who have lost only three times in their last ten games.

Despite this loss, Illinois College has won seven out of their last ten games and maintains an impressive record over recent seasons. Their next game is scheduled for Saturday at Sherman Gymnasium against Lawrence University, where they will celebrate Senior Day honoring seniors Harris, Ritzel, and Matt Thompson.