• Sophomore Mary Walker and freshman Whitney Jensen lead DMACC with 12 points apiece
• Bears fall behind in the first quarter and trail the rest of the game
• DMACC shoots 24 percent from the field

Cold field goal shooting when going against the top National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II team in the country is not a good formula and the result was a 71-50 loss for the DMACC women's basketball team against Kirkwood Community College (KCC) in the final game of the regular season for both teams February 27 inside the DMACC gymnasium.

The Bears closed the regular season at 21-9 overall and 12-6 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) while KCC completed an undefeated regular season at 28-0, including an 18-0 mark in winning the ICCAC regular season title.

Sophomore Mary Walker of Fonda and freshman Whitney Jensen of Remsen led DMACC with 12 points apiece and freshman Breeley Clayburg of Coon Rapids added 10 points.

KCC had a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and led the rest of the way. The Eagles were up 34-22 at halftime and 57-34 at the end of the third quarter.

DMACC shot just 24 percent from the field, hitting 16 of 67 field goal attempts, including 4-of-26 from three-point range. The Bears made 14 of 22 free throw attempts.

KCC was 27-of-66 from the field for 41 percent but made just two of 17 three-point attempts for 12 percent. The Eagles were 15-of-21 from the free throw line.

KCC had a 44-37 advantage on the boards with Jensen and Clayburg leading the Bears with seven rebounds apiece. Walker and sophomore Joy Beran of Riceville had six rebounds apiece and freshman Kaylee Stratton of Tiffin added five. Stratton led the Bears in assists with four and Jensen topped DMACC in steals with three.

The DMACC women's basketball team will be the No. 5 seed in the NJCAA Region 11-A Tournament and will open tournament play against fourth-seeded Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NECC) March 1 at Norfolk, Neb. NECC, 20-8 and 12-6, swept the season series against DMACC, coming away with a 67-53 decision Dec. 4 inside the DMACC gymnasium and posting a 70-62 win Jan. 22 at Norfolk, Neb.

KCC, the tournament's No. 1 seed, and eighth-seeded Marshalltown Community College (MCC) make up the other half of the bracket. They will meet March 1 at Cedar Rapids. The two winners will play in the tournament championship game March 3 at the home of the highest seeded team remaining in the tournament. The Region 11-A champion will advance to the North Central District A March 8 with the opponent and site to be determined.