The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) women’s basketball team improved to 5-2 for the season with a pair of victories in the Emerson Classic November 18 and 19 at Marshalltown.
The Bears avenged one of their two losses this season with a 68-64 win over Kansas City (Kan.) Community College (KCKCC) on Nov. 18 and closed out the tournament with an 80-47 win over the William Penn University junior varsity (WPUJV) on Nov. 19.
DMACC, ranked 17th in the most recent Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), dropped a 71-58 decision to KCKCC in the Bears’ season opener Nov. 4 at Kansas City, Kan. The Blue Devils are ranked 10th in NJCAA Division II.
Sophomore Aaliyah Brown of Crawfordsville recored a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, including 10 offensive rebounds, to lead DMACC past KCKCC. Freshman Molly Mitchell of Okoboji scored 14 points in the win and sophomore Shayla Dean of Zearing finished with 10 points.
DMACC led 14-9 after the first quarter and had a 35-31 advantage at halftime. The Bears trailed 54-47 at the end of the third quarter and outscored the Blue Devils 21-10 in the fourth period to come away with the win.
DMACC shot just 32 percent, hitting 19 of 59 field goal attempts, including 3-of-17 from three-point range. The Bears got the win at the free throw line, connecting on 23 of 27 free throw attempts.
Sophomore Samantha Hughes of Marshalltown had 15 rebounds to go with Brown’s 14 as the Bears came away with a 48-47 advantage on the boards. Mitchell added nine rebounds and freshman Joniqua Clark of Cedar Rapids led the way in assists with four. Sophomore Amanda Cartney of Hudson had three assists and three steals.
Cartney scored 18 points, Brown and Mitchell had 13 apiece and sophomore Kelsey Pretz of Columbus Junction finished with 10 in DMACC’s win over WPUJV.
The Bears opened up a 23-14 lead after the first quarter, led 42-18 at halftime and held a 67-32 advantage after the third quarter. DMACC shot 44 percent in getting the win, connecting on 29 of 66 field goal attempts. The Bears were 5-of-18 from three-point range and 17-of-28 from the free throw line.
Brown recorded another double-double with 11 rebounds to go with her 13 points and Mitchell also finished with a double-double with 10 rebounds to go with her 13 points as DMACC had a 59-36 advantage on the boards. Freshman Beth Atwood of Packwood had seven rebounds in the win and Dean contributed six. Pretz led the Bears in assists with five and Clark and Dean had four apiece. Hughes led DMACC in steals with four and Clark and Brown had three steals apiece.
The DMACC women’s basketball team will host South Australia Nov. 26. Game time is 1 p.m. inside the DMACC gymnasium.