The Southwestern Spartans men's basketball team battled but ultimately fell 81-72 to North Iowa Area Community College on Wednesday evening in Mason City. The Spartans, now 5-7 overall and 1-2 in ICCAC play, were led by a stellar performance from Rickey Loftin II, who poured in 25 points and added six rebounds.

Kael Jones also stood out, recording a double-double with 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. The Spartans shot an efficient 84% from the free-throw line but struggled with turnovers, committing 19, which the Trojans capitalized on.

NIACC's Brayden Drea led all scorers with 24 points, while Keon Alexander and Adam Hackett each grabbed five rebounds to anchor the Trojans.

Coach Darryl Fletcher acknowledged the team's effort but pointed to critical areas for improvement: "We have to rebound and make better decisions when passing. When we get those things under control, we can win some games."

The Spartans aim to bounce back in their upcoming contests. They host Ellsworth Community College on Saturday before hitting the road to face Iowa Western on Monday.

Ellsworth Panthers
Saturday, 3 PM
Creston, IA

Let's rally behind the Spartans as they return to Spartan Hall this weekend!