Freshman Asia Mena of Chicago, Ill., led five players in double figures with 16 points as the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) women's basketball team handed Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) a 76-62 loss January 12 inside the DMACC gymnasium.
The win was the 300th for head coach Steve Krafcisin, giving him a 300-129 record midway through his 14th season at DMACC.
"It's very humbling," Krafcisin said. "You don't realize that you are in it for that long and that you have had success for that long."
Krafcisin said he is most proud of the DMACC family atmosphere that the women's basketball program has built.
"I've had about 10 or 12 emails and texts from former players and former assistants who said they were glad they were a part of all of it and I think that says it all for me," Krafcisin said. "It's great to win and I love to win, but the culture we have built since I got here has been tremendous. That's what I want. Not so much the wins, but the people who feel ownership in the team and the program. That is way cool."
The DMACC women's basketball team improved to 7-9 overall and 2-2 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) with the win. Freshman Sameria Jackson of Houston, Texas, scored 12 points, sophomore Aliyah Robinson of Waterloo finished with 11 and sophomore Grace Stalzer of Zearing and Ellie Horn of Newton had 10 points apiece.
DMACC led most of the way. The Bears were ahead 23-20 at the end of the first quarter, 45-31 at halftime and 58-48 at the end of the third quarter.
DMACC shot 41 percent, hitting 28 of 69 field goal attempts. The Bears were 5-of-23 from three-point range and 15-of-28 from the free throw line.
ILCC came away with a 49-42 advantage on the boards with Stalzer pulling down nine rebounds to lead DMACC. Sophomore Emma Rouse of Boone had eight and Jackson came away with seven. Mena dished out eight assists in the win and she and Rouse had four steals apiece.
The DMACC women's basketball team will face North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) Jan. 16 inside the DMACC gymnasium. The Trojans are 11-4 overall and 2-0 in the ICCAC. They are ranked fourth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll. Game time is 5:30 p.m.