GRINNELL, Iowa – The Illinois College men's basketball team fell to Grinnell College on Wednesday night, 124-95, despite a career night from
Hunter Ottensmeier. The sophomore forward had the fourth-highest single-game point total in school history with 43 in the contest, but the Pioneers put up 75 points in the second half to pull away for the win.
Illinois College had a plan and stuck to it early on, taking its largest lead at 22-12 with eight minutes elapsed off of a
Jake Mazrimas layup. Grinnell rallied with the three-ball, coming back to take a 30-29 lead on a trey from Aiden Gilbert and going to the break with a 49-43 advantage.
The second half was all Pioneers from the start. Grinnell rained in 18 three-pointers in the second half, including four in the opening two minutes after halftime as part of a 14-2 run to go on top, 63-45. Making up a deficit against the Pioneers is a tall order but the Blueboys made a run at it, cutting it to a 10-point game at 67-57 on a three-point play from Ottensmeier with just over five minutes gone. That was as close as it would get though. With Grinnell hitting from all over the floor, the lead grew throughout the second half.
The 43-point performance from Ottensmeier came 15 years to the day since the last time a Blueboy scored 40 or more in a single game. On Feb. 12, 2005, Pete Jennings had the second-highest scoring game in school history with 49 in a game against Grinnell. Other top scorers for Illinois College included Mazrimas with 16 points and
Jaxson Dian with 15.
Illinois College returns home on Saturday afternoon to face Lake Forest College in Sherman Gymnasium on Senior Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.
