By Marissa VanWingen, The Iowa Falls Times-Citizen

Iowa Falls, IA -- In the opening minutes of the game against 19th-ranked Ellsworth Community College, No. 4 DMACC hit five of six from beyond the arc and quickly pulled away for the 104-67 decision.

The visitors scored the first nine points of the game. Two and a half minutes into the game, the Panthers (17-8, 7-7 ICCAC) got on the board for the first time on a Tre Burris basket. The Bears (24-2, 13-1) responded by hitting two more from deep and were five of six from downtown in the opening minutes, 14 of 31 for the game. The difference swelled to double digits quickly as the hosts had no answer for the hot DMACC shooting.

Willie Patterson III would cut the deficit to eight (29-21) and the closest ECC could get was 34-27. The Bears hit their ninth three-ball of the half and ended the first 20 minutes on a 20-4 to and put the Panthers in a 54-31 hole.

The second half DMACC cooled off a little from beyond the arc, but still outscored the hosts by 14-points. 

While the hosts were 14 of 31 from downtown in the game, ECC was just 23 percent going six of 26. The Bear defense also forced 19 turnovers, 10 coming from steals and blocked the Panthers eight times. Four DMACC players were in double figures with two finishing with over 20 points. 

ECC was led by Patterson s 26 points. He shot well, was eight of 11 from the floor and 9-11 from the charity stripe. Patterson added a team-high seven rebounds and a steal. Rav Randhawa was also in double figures with 12 and Eesher Singh Sarai tallied 10 off the bench.

PHOTOS (Iowa Falls Times-Citizen): https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.timescitizen.com%2fgallery%2f2-8-25-ecc-vs-dmacc-basketball%2fcollection_1efd2c6c-e704-11ef-81dd-17a0eee8cda7.html&c=E,1,a0IReykP3x1nn4LYkMbw4hJD1xWD8ZqWb8-qAbJaRWbaUrhDnjHuof1CR45k4X235Z2eI0isaQamR8M9nwV3FiZSkKPFMIAWMhXhfePot9sBN2CYowpACMQQuQ,,&typo=1