KEOKUK, IOWA -- Slow starts have really hurt the Ellsworth women's basketball team in recent games and that was the case again on Wednesday night in an ICCAC contest at Southeastern CC.  The Panthers fell behind 29-8 after one quarter and 39-14 at halftime on the way to a 69-48 defeat.  ECC actually outscored the hosts 34-30 over the final 20 minutes, but turnover problems all game long were a huge problem.  Ellsworth was charged with 42 turnovers.  They forced 23 SCC mistakes and held the BlackHawks to 36 percent shooting -- just 1-of-13 from behind the arc.

Alyssa Civitak led the Ellsworth scoring with 18 points and she connected on all four of their made 3-point tries.  Teresa Paulsen narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and 9 rebounds.  Leading scorer Aaliyah Chambers returned to action for the first time in January and added 8 points.

The Panthers stay on the road this weekend when they travel to Norfolk, Neb., to take on Northeast CC on Saturday afternoon.