COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA -- No. 8 Ellsworth's 5th consecutive victory kept the Panthers firmly in the race for the ICCAC regular-season championship as ECC demolished Iowa Western, 95-71, Saturday afternoon.  Ellsworth made it a clean sweep of the Reivers for the season with a masterful performance at the free throw line, by taking care of the basketball and dominating IWCC on the glass.

The Panthers had their second-best free throw shooting percentage of the year, making 27-of-32 attempts for 84.4 percent.  Cameron Liggins and Clinton Efinda, who each scored in double figures, were both perfect in 8 tries at the line and Chimobi Ikegwuruka, who recorded a double-double, was 6-for-6.  The nine turnovers charged against ECC tied a season-low.  And they crushed the home team, 56-32, on the boards.  Iowa Western made only 35 percent of its shots and never led in the contest.

Liggins topped 4 Panthers in twin figures with 24.  Ikegwuruka had 20 points along with 16 rebounds, Efinda had his own double double with 14 and 10, and Jordan Glenn-Hawkins added 10 points.

DMACC is still in 1st place in the league standings at 13-2 with the Panthers and Kirkwood both at 13-3.  DMACC plays at Kirkwood Wednesday night.  Ellsworth, 22-5 in all games, hosts Northeast (Neb.) on Wednesday, steps out of the league to play Dakota County Tech on Saturday at Dittmer Gym, then ends the regular season slate at Kirkwood on Feb. 28.