JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Grinnell College's men's basketball team found the perfect way to take the wind out of Illinois College's sails during Saturday afternoon's Midwest Conference battle.

The Pioneers never left any doubt as to the outcome, taking charge from the start by scoring 20 of the game's first 22 points on their way to a 92-68 victory. Grinnell held the Blueboys to their lowest point total in the series since IC scored 66 on Dec. 5, 1992 - a span of 69 meetings.

The win not only snapped Grinnell's two-game losing streak in Jacksonville, Ill., but also marked its largest margin of victory over the Blueboys since a 29-point win on Feb. 12, 2020. It is the Pioneers' largest margin of victory on the Blueboys' floor since Jan. 15, 2020.

Playing their first MWC road game of the season, Grinnell proved unstoppable while improving to 3-0 in the league and 6-2 overall. The Pioneers held Illinois College to 35.0 percent field goal shooting and 12.5 percent from 3-point land, both season-lows for a Grinnell foe.

Grinnell opened the game with seven consecutive points, as Tanner Deal '27 sank a 3-pointer and Gabe Garcia '27 added two layups. After an IC bucket, Kai Te Huki '27 drained a 3-pointer and layup and Kingzten Bristol '29 slammed down a dunk for a 14-2 edge.

John Vincent '26 followed with a layup, Strahinja Nikolic '27 sank two free throws and Nick Courtney '26 converted a layup for a 20-2 lead at the 13:22 mark of the first half.

In that opening flurry as Grinnell piled up the points, the Pioneers' defense forced nine turnovers and five Blueboy missed field goal tries. Among those turnovers were three steals by Courtney, two each by Zach Rosen '26 and Deal and one from Bristol, Nick Lundy '27 and Te Huki.

Grinnell kept it up, holding a 48-28 halftime lead and extending its cushion in the second half for the 24-point victory.

With the loss, Illinois College dipped to 1-2 in the league and 3-6 in all games.

Te Huki led Grinnell with 21 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Garcia had 13 and Bristol tallied 10. On the rebounding front, Tyler Copes '29 grabbed seven and Nikolic added a career-high six. Garcia dished out six assists and Luka Pinto '29 and Courtney came up with four steals apiece.

Grinnell has a week off before playing its final game before the holidays with a date at Ripon College. Tip-off next Saturday is at 1 p.m.