The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) men's basketball team closed out the 2017-18 regular season with a 79-61 loss to Kirkwood Community College (KCC) March 3 inside the DMACC gymnasium.

Sophomore Wali Parks of Iowa City and freshman Lee Higgins of Chicago, Ill., scored 12 points apiece and sophomore Antowine Locke of Bolingbrook, Ill., had 10 points as the Bears finished at 17-12 overall and 3-9 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).

KCC, which won the ICCAC regular season championship at 11-1, pulled away from a 9-9 tie with a 17-2 run to take control of the game at 26-11 with less than seven minutes remaining in the first half. The Eagles had a 38-23 advantage at halftime and maintained a double digit lead throughout the second half.

DMACC shot 36 percent in the loss, hitting 21 of 58 field goal attempts. The Bears were 6-of-19 from three-point range and 13-of-27 from the free throw line.

KCC had a 44-37 advantage on the boards with Locke's seven rebounds leading DMACC. Parks and Higgins had five rebounds apiece and Locke topped the Bears in assists with five.

The DMACC men's basketball team will face Southwestern Community College (SWCC) in the quarterfinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XI Division II Men's Basketball Tournament March 6 at Creston. Game time is 7 p.m. SWCC, the defending NJCAA Division II national champion, finished the regular season at 23-7 overall and 8-4 in the ICCAC. The Spartans defeated DMACC twice during the regular season, taking a 103-81 decision Jan. 24 at Creston and winning by an 89-71 score Feb. 21 inside the DMACC gymnasium.