CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA -- In their current dry spell, Ellsworth has been victimized by numerous second-half problems.  That was the case again Thursday night when Kirkwood CC took a 7-point halftime lead and blew the game open in the final 20 minutes for a 79-51 victory over the Panthers.  The loss was the 7th in a row for ECC and dropped them under the .500 mark for the first time this season.

The difference was 6 points early in the second period when the hosts scored 19-of-24 points in a stretch in which they took control and shut down the ECC offense.  The Eagles used a huge rebounding margin, 44-22, to subdue Ellsworth and owned a big shooting advantage -- 49 percent to 33 percent.  ECC connected on only 5 3s.

Richie Warren was the lone Panther to get into double figures.  He led them in both points and rebounds with 11 and 5.  Nobody else scored more than 7 points.

The Panthers look for a return to their winning ways when they play host to Iowa Central on Saturday afternoon, seeking to avenge an earlier 2-point loss to the Tritons.