Warriors Complete Season Sweep of Kirkwood

Cedar Rapids -- In a rugged and sometimes ragged game between two teams both ranked in the top three in the nation in their respective divisions, Indian Hills defeated Kirkwood CC Wednesday night at Johnson Hall, 76-65.

For the Warriors (17-0), ranked second in the latest NJCAA Division I poll, it was their second win of the year against the Eagles, whom they had beaten 79-77 just over a month ago at the Hellyer Center.

Kirkwood (13-3), the third-ranked team in the Division II poll, suffered its third loss of the season and its first on its homecourt.

Indian Hills answered a 7-0 run by Kirkwood in the second half by making six straight free throws to build the lead back to double-digits and the Warriors led by at least seven points the remainder of the game.

Kevin Hunter had brought Kirkwood to within six points at 56-50 when he made two free throws and then connected on a three-point play. Those five quick points by Hunter allowed the Eagles to make up 10 points of an earlier 16-point deficit.

But Jameel McKay, Gary Ricks, Jr., and Roderick Bobbitt each hit a pair of free throws for the Warriors, who made 20-of-30 second-half foul shots and 25-of-41 for the game.

Ricks' free throws came after the sixth technical foul of the game was called, this on the KCC bench. There were 55 fouls whistled in the game.

Indian Hills used a 9-0 run in the first half to grab a 19-13 lead. A three-pointer by Ricks, one of three he hit on the night, started the spurt.

The Warriors eventually built the lead to 11 in the opening half before a bucket by the Eagles' Devan Douglas cut the lead to 37-28 at halftime.

Dustin Hogue had 13 of his game-high 18 points in the first half for IHCC and nobody else on either team had more than seven points in the opening 20 minutes.

McKay scored four straight points early in the second half as the Warriors were growing the lead to 48-32 with a three by Ricks giving IHCC the 16-point bulge.

Kirkwood fought back but never got closer than six and three Eagles fouled out in the final four minutes.

McKay and Ricks each scored 14 for Indian Hills. Antione Howard led KCC with 13.

IHCC will host its fourth home tournament of the season this weekend -- the HyVee Classic -- with games on Friday and Saturday night. Two Chicago teams will provide the opposition for the Warriors who will play Olive-Harvey Friday and Kennedy-King Saturday.

INDIAN HILLS 76, KIRKWOOD 65

INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 1 1-2 3, Gary Ricks, Jr. 3 5-7 14, DeAndray Buckley 1 3-3 5, Michael Haynes 2 0-0 4, D.J. Bennett 1 0-0 2, Kieran Woods 1 1-7 3, Jameel McKay 4 6-9 14, Roderick Bobbitt 3 7-10 13, Dustin Hogue 8 2-3 18, Ronnie Stevens 0 0-0 0, Rawane Ndiaye 0 0-0 0 Team 24 25-41 76

KIRKWOOD Matt Tiby 2 5-5 9, Antione Howard 6 0-0 13, Mike Weber 2 4-6 10, Eddie Denard 2 0-3 4, Preston Brunz 1 1-2 3, Gage Heffernan 1 1-3 3, Kasey Semler 4 0-0 11, Devan Douglas 1 1-3 3, Kevin Hunter 3 3-3 9, Derek Witt 0 0-2 0 Team 21 15-27 65

Halftime score: Indian Hills 37, Kirkwood 28; Three-point field goals: IHCC 3 (Ricks 3), KCC 6 (Semler 3, Weber 2, Howard 1)