IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- The Ellsworth men's basketball team survived a tough test against a ranked team in its season opener on Tuesday night at Dittmer Gym.  The Panthers picked up a narrow victory against Bryant & Stratton College from Wisconsin, rated No. 17 in the preseason NJCAA DII poll, 72-68.  ECC led by a point at intermission, 31-30, and held off the visitors in the final period to post a win.

Freshman Richie Warren sparkled in his Panthers debut, scoring a team-high 20 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.  Warren made 9-of-14 field goal attempts in recording the double-double.  Rich Ashu, one of five players back from last year's Ellsworth squad, was the other player in double figures, scoring 13 points while grabbing 7 boards.  Freshman Ra'mir Scott had a solid floor game with 7 assists and 6 steals to go along with 7 points.  Troy Muilenburg, starting his 22nd season as ECC head coach, played 12 players and 10 of them got in the scoring column.

After winning their home opener, the Panthers go on the road this weekend for a pair of games in a tourney hosted by NIACC in Mason City.  Ellsworth's foes will be Sisseton Wahpeton from North Dakota on Friday afternoon and Milwaukee Area Technical College Saturday afternoon.  Following the pair of games at NIACC, ECC will play its next four contests at home, starting with a date with North Central Missouri, 19th in the preseason rankings, Nov. 9.