JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – After struggling against Monmouth College earlier in the week, the Grinnell College men's basketball team turned things around – and then some – in a hurry.
 
The Pioneers blasted Illinois College 117-79 Saturday afternoon for a key Midwest Conference victory. The win pushes the Pioneers to 9-5 in the league and 12-7 overall, while the Blueboys fell to 4-10 in the MWC and 7-12 in all games.
 
The 38-point margin of victory is Grinnell's third-biggest against Illinois College, trailing only a 40-point margin last year and a 49-pointer in the 2003-04 season.
 
Julian Marx '17 was a sharpshooter for the Pioneers, sinking 10 of his 14 tries from 3-point land while finishing with 30 points. He now has 1,475 points for his career to move into 11th all-time at Grinnell, passing current interim head coach David Arseneault Jr. as well as Steve Nordlund.
 
Marx also had five assists and two steals.
 
Vinny Curta '19 led Grinnell with 31 points, Ky-Sean Johnson '18 added 27 and Jacob Ekstrand '18 had 12.
 
Nick Curta '17 was a beast inside, blocking six shots which is tied for sixth-most for a Pioneer in a game and the most since Brian McManamy had eight in a 2013 contest.
 
Griffin Boehm '19 added eight rebounds and Nathan Balcom '18, Ekstrand and Noah Jacobson '20 had two steals each.
 
Grinnell had a key 10-0 run in the first half to pull away. Leading 18-16, Marx and Johnson hit consecutive 3-pointers and Vinny Curta a layup to make it a 28-16 game with 11:49 to go.
 
The Pioneers led by 10 later in the half when they pulled away again with an 11-2 spurt. Ekstrand began things with back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 50-34. After a Blueboy basket, Marx made a 3-pointer and Johnson a layup to put Grinnell ahead 55-36.
 
The Pioneers were ahead 59-41 at halftime and continued to build on that in the second half.
 
Coming Up: The Pioneers have a big game Wednesday when Knox College visits Darby Gymnasium. The tip-off is slated for7:30 p.m.