Kirkwood Dominates No. 6 Ellsworth with 20-Point Road Win
Iowa Falls, IA- With the regular season winding down and postseason positioning on the line, the #15 Kirkwood Eagles delivered one of their most impressive efforts of the year Wednesday night in Iowa Falls. Facing the #6 Ellsworth Panthers in a pivotal ICCAC showdown inside Dittmer Gym, the Eagles controlled both halves and rolled to an emphatic 85-65 victory.
Kirkwood set the tone early, building a 44-25 halftime lead and never allowing Ellsworth to fully recover. The Eagles matched that intensity in the second half, outscoring the Panthers 41-40 to seal the 20-point road win.
The Eagles were lights out offensively, shooting 57.9% from the field, 42.9% from three-point range, and 90.9% from the free-throw line. Their efficiency and shot selection kept constant pressure on one of the league's top teams.
Kayvion Hodges led the charge with a near-flawless performance off the bench, pouring in 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting while adding five rebounds. Cole Marsh was a steady force in the starting lineup, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers.
Manasse Kasongo impacted the game in multiple ways, tallying 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds to anchor the Eagles on the glass. Chris Coleman orchestrated the offense with seven assists to go along with nine points, while Ben Bockman added eight points and six rebounds. Grayson Wollum provided a spark in limited minutes, scoring nine points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting night.
Defensively, Kirkwood held Ellsworth to just 35% shooting from the field and forced 13 turnovers, frustrating a Panthers squad that entered the contest 24-4 overall and 14-4 in conference play. The Eagles also dominated the rebounding battle 40-26, a physical edge that proved decisive.
With the victory, Kirkwood improves to 21-7 overall and 13-6 in ICCAC play.
Next Up
Kirkwood returns home Saturday afternoon for a marquee matchup against the #2 DMACC Bears. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. inside Johnson Hall.
