IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- Despite their best shooting night of the season, the Ellsworth men's basketball team saw visiting NIACC break a late deadlock and the Trojans knocked off the Panthers, 74-71, at Dittmer Gymnasium Wednesday night.
The game was even at 65-all with 2:45 to play when NIACC hit back-to-back field goals to go on top by four. The Panthers used a late three-point play to shave the deficit to one, but NIACC held on to win the one-possession game. ECC hit a 3-pointer as time expired to get the final margin to three. NIACC took a 37-34 lead at intermission and each team tallied 37 second-half points.
The one-two punch of Adam Jackson and Josh Kamara paced Ellsworth, combining for 47 points. Jackson poured in 28 and Kamara 19. Jackson also drained six 3s and Kamara 4 and Jackson handed out five assists.
ECC made 45.6 percent of its field goal attempts, the second-best percentage of the season. The Panthers also nailed 12-of-25 3-pointers -- the 48 percent from deep the best figure of the year -- and connected on all seven of its foul shots.
The last regular-season contest for the Panthers will be this Saturday when they play at Iowa Lakes CC.