• Smith is one of four DMACC players to score in double figures
• Bears take a 40-25 halftime lead behind 48 percent shooting
• Freshman Brent Taylor's 10 rebounds help the Bears to a 46-36 advantage on the boards

Sophomore Rylan Smith of Lincoln, Neb., led four players in double figures with 19 points as the DMACC men's basketball team handed John Wood Community College (JWCC) an 83-72 loss November 4 inside the DMACC gymnasium.

Freshmen Brent Taylor of Flossmoor, Ill., Shelton Colwell, Jr., of Newark, N.J., and Malcolm Bragg of Newark, N.J. each scored 10 points as the Bears, ranked seventh in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II preseason poll, improved to 2-0 for the season. Freshman Landen Norris of Knoxville barely missed double figures with nine points and freshmen Hunter Gawron of Skokie, Ill., and Kavon Phillips of Davenport scored seven points apiece for DMACC.

Taylor recorded his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds as the Bears  came away with a 46-36 advantage in rebounding.

JWCC, playing its season opener, led just twice, 2-1 with the game 35 seconds old and 6-4 with just less than 18 minutes remaining in the opening half. Norris broke an 8-8 tie with a three-pointer at the 15 minute, 35 second mark of the half and DMACC never trailed the rest of the way. The Bears shot 48 percent for the half (11-of-23) and led by as many as 17 points before settling for a 40-25 lead at intermission.

DMACC built its lead to as many as 21 points early in the second half before the Trail Blazers cut the deficit to eight, 62-54, with 7:33 to play. A traditional three-point play from Phillips and a free throw by Bragg got the Bears a 14-point lead with six minutes remaining and JWCC never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

DMACC shot 42 percent from the field, hitting 22 of 52 field goal attempts, including 8-of-23 from three-point range. The Bears went to the free throw line 42 times and were successful 31 times.

JWCC, led by 14 points each from Isiah Bannister and Semaj Washington, was 25 of 66 from the field for 38 percent. The Trail Blazers made five of 27 three-point attempts and were 17-of-27 from the free throw line.

Taylor also led DMACC in assists with three and sophomore Jayden Jones of Katy, Texas, topped the Bears in steals with four.

The DMACC men's basketball team will host the DMACC Classic Nov. 7 and 8 inside the DMACC gymnasium. The Bears will face Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) on Nov. 7 and will play Spoon River Community College (SRCC) on Nov. 8. MVCC is 1-0 this season with the win coming on a 107-81 decision over the Governors State University Junior Varsity (GSUJV). SRCC is 0-1 after dropping its opener to Kirkwood Community College (KCC), 103-64, on Nov. 1