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VIDEO INTERVIEW - JASON POLYKOFF

VIDEO INTERVIEW - ELIJAH WILSON-THOMAS

VIDEO INTERVIEW - DARRELL HUTCHISON

RICHMOND, Ind. – The Earlham College men's basketball team led by 11 at halftime, and hung on for its second consecutive victory, a 72-69 win over Millikin University in the home-opener for the Quakers on Tuesday evening.

The Quakers held the Big Blue to under 25 percent shooting in the first half and led 38-27 at the break. Millikin (0-4) stormed back early in the second half, however, outscoring Earlham 17-4 to take a 44-42 lead with 13:29 to play.

The next 13 minutes were played within a six-point window as Earlham led by as many as four points and Millikin by two points. Both teams were tied 66-66 with 1:17 to play, but junior Elijah Wilson-Thomas was fouled. The nation's leader in free throw percentage a season ago hit both to give the Quakers a two-point edge.

Freshman Kenneth Stalling Jr. blocked a shot on the next possession, and senior Kamari Hunter and freshman Tarig Eldosougi hit free throws to put Earlham up four points and seal the victory.

Sophomore Darrell Hutchison finished with a career-high 18 points while Wilson-Thomas added 17 points, six rebounds, and four steals off of the bench.

Jack Simpson led Millikin with 18 points in defeat.

The Quakers shot a robust 52 percent (26-50) from the field including 33 percent (6-18) from beyond the three-point arc. The Big Blue finished 22-53 from the field for 41.5 percent.  Earlham outrebounded Millikin 39-33.

Earlham improves to 3-2 on the season and is on a two-game winning streak for the first time since the final two games of the 2012-13 season. The Quakers open Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play against Anderson University at 3 p.m. on Saturday.