Eagles Rally Falls Just Short Against No. 2 DMACC on Sophomore Day

Cedar Rapids, IA- In front of a packed Johnson Hall crowd on Sophomore Day, the #15 Kirkwood Eagles closed out the ICCAC regular season Saturday afternoon in a heavyweight showdown against the #2 DMACC Bears. Despite facing a 23-point deficit in the second half, the Eagles stormed back and had the Bears on the ropes before ultimately falling 89–85.

Kirkwood (21-8, 13-7 ICCAC) trailed 51-41 at halftime after DMACC shot a blistering 58.6% from the field in the opening half. The Bears built their lead to as many as 23 early in the second period, threatening to turn the contest into a runaway. But the Eagles refused to let their final regular-season game — and a day honoring six sophomores — slip away quietly.

Behind a surge of defensive pressure and timely shooting, Kirkwood clawed back possession by possession. The Eagles outscored the Bears 44-38 in the second half and cut the deficit to just two points in the closing minutes, electrifying the home crowd and putting the nation's second-ranked team on high alert.

Chris Coleman led the Eagles offensively with 18 points, knocking down 6-of-14 from the floor and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc while dishing out a team-high seven assists. His playmaking and shot-making fueled the second-half rally.

Richard Lindsey Jr., honored pregame as one of six sophomores, added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including two three-pointers. Manasse Kasongo controlled the paint with 13 points and a team-best eight rebounds while going 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Ben Bockman provided efficient scoring with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 3-of-4 from deep, while fellow sophomore Cole Marsh contributed 10 points and knocked down two three-pointers. Off the bench, Yaris Irby chipped in eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range.

As a team, the Eagles shot an impressive 49.1% from the field and 50% from three-point range, numbers that reflected their offensive efficiency throughout the afternoon. Ultimately, DMACC's early surge and 23 made free throws proved to be the difference in a tightly contested finish.

Before tipoff, Kirkwood honored six sophomores playing their final regular-season game inside Johnson Hall: Richard Lindsey Jr., Germaine Benson, Cole Marsh, Chris Coleman, Tyler Netolicky, and Ben Bockman. Their impact on the program has helped position the Eagles for another postseason run.

Now, the Eagles will wait to see where they land in the upcoming Region 11 Tournament bracket as they turn their focus toward postseason play.