By Marissa VanWingen, The Times-Citizen
Iowa Falls, IA – Midway through the third quarter DMACC erased a nine-point Ellsworth Community College lead and went on a scoring spree. With the help of 16 free throw attempts in the second half, the visitors recorded an 80-64 win.
In Boone earlier in the season, the Bears dismantled the visitors 97-48. That game woke the Panthers (20-4, 11-3) up, who were on a six-game winning streak since then. The most recent outcome tightens up the race for second place with ECC holding a one and a half game lead over both Northeast and the Bears.
The first half was exactly what was expected between two teams that are two and three in the league. There were six ties and 13 lead changes during the first 20 minutes. The largest lead either team had in the opening quarter was four, and it was on a pair of Marin Agustsdottir free throws. DMACC's Mary Walker hit one of her four three-pointers (and led all scoring with 21-points) to cut the difference to 17-16 after the first quarter.
In the second stanza, the last Bear (18-7, 9-4) lead was 35-34 before Agustsdottir got the make and the one-point advantage. Ella Sharar made a long ball to extend the lead but a pair of free throws by the Bears made it a two-point game once again, 39-37, at the half.
Sharar drained a triple to start the third stanza and then an offensive foul on DMACC turned the ball over. Agustsdottir gave the hosts their largest lead of the game 44-37 with 8:45. Another Bear turnover led to Panther points forcing a timeout.
DMACC started their run and cut the deficit to two. That's when Favour Anyaele was called for her fourth foul. That was followed by a technical foul on ECC head coach Justin Rees as the Bears hit both free throws and knotted the game at 46.
The Panthers were then called for back-to-back fouls giving both Agustsdottir and Sharar three. The visitors were ignited as they went on an 18-0 run that ECC could never come back from. The Bears led 63-50 after a 26-point third quarter. In the second half, there were 17 fouls called, 10 on the hosts as DMACC shot 23 of 26 for the game.
