Men's Basketball Conference Recap | Week 1

This season's ICCAC slate opened with a heavyweight showdown in Cedar Rapids, as No. 6 Ellsworth went on the road to stun top-ranked Kirkwood 94–86 in Johnson Hall. In a game that stayed tight most of the way, the Panthers used a blistering second half and massive bench production to grab an early statement win in conference play.

Kirkwood came out strong, shooting 51% in the first half and taking a 44–41 lead into the locker room, but Ellsworth completely flipped the script after the break. The Panthers shot 66.7% from the field in the second half and saw their bench erupt for 58 points. Alex Charlotin led the way with 21 points on 9-of-12 (75%) shooting, while Rav Randhawa and Jayden Pretty added 12 points apiece to fuel Ellsworth's surge. Their pace, physicality, and pressure defense kept the Eagles from ever getting comfortable, holding Kirkwood to just 41% shooting after halftime and tilting momentum firmly to the Panthers.

Kirkwood nearly matched Ellsworth in points in the paint (40–42) and on the glass (33–33), but couldn't counter the Panthers' depth and late-game shot-making. Chris Coleman led the Eagles with 17 points and 6 rebounds, and Ben Bockman added 17 off the bench, yet it was Ellsworth's road resilience and second-unit firepower that defined the ICCAC opener.

Ellsworth will looking to keep their spot on top of the ICCAC standings next week, as they host Southwestern on Wednesday, December 3rd at 7:00 P.M.

Kirkwood will be travelling to take on NIACC on December 3rd at 7:00 P.M. to avenge their early conference loss.

Week 2 Schedule:

Wednesday, Dec. 3

Southwestern @ #6 Ellsworth - 7:00 PM - Live Stream
Western Iowa Tech @ #5 Iowa Central - 7:00 PM - Live Stream
#1 Kirkwood @ NIACC - 7:00 PM - Live Stream
Central @ DMACC - 7:00 PM - Live Stream
Northeast @ Iowa Lakes - 7:00 PM - Live Stream

Top Performances - Week 1