DMACC men's basketball winning streak ends

• Bears had won eight straight games before setback
• Sophomore Ryan Schmitt of Van Meter leads DMACC with 21 points
• Bears led a nine-point halftime lead slip away

Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) ended an eight-game winning streak by the DMACC men's basketball team with a 72-70 decision March 17 inside the DMACC gymnasium.

The game featured two nationally ranked teams with DMACC topping the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll and IHCC being ranked 11^th in Division I. The Warriors avenged a 75-64 loss to the Bears when the two teams played Feb. 23 at Ottumwa.

DMACC fell to 13-3 for the season with the loss. The Bears controlled the tempo in the first half, leading by as many as nine points, including a 40-31 advantage at halftime. IHCC shot 46 percent in the second half, including 6-of-12 from three-point range, to get back in the game and pull away for the win. The Warriors led by as many as 10 points in the half.

Sophomore Ryan Schmitt of Van Meter led DMACC with 21 points. Sophomore Mark Bradshaw of Chester, Penn., scored 15 points and sophomore Christian Haffner of Gresham, Wis., had 14 points.

The Bears shot 38 percent for the game, making 23 of 61 field goal attempts. They were 9-of-28 from three-point range and 15-of-21 from the free throw line.

Sophomore Devin Wade-Henderson of Minneapolis, Minn., grabbed 10 rebounds to lift DMACC to a 47-44 advantage on the boards. Schmitt narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds and Bradshaw and sophomore Zach Hobbs of Mesa, Ariz., had seven rebounds apiece.

Sophomore Willie Guy of Cedar Rapids led the Bears in assists with eight and also topped the team in steals with three.

The DMACC men's basketball team faces another NJCAA Division I program March 20 when the Bears host Southeastern Community College (SECC). SECC is 12-6 and is not ranked in the NJCAA Division I poll but has received votes. The Blackhawks dropped an 82-72 decision to DMACC Feb. 27 at West Burlington