IOWA FALLS, Iowa – No. 4 Macomb Men's Basketball (2-0) avenged last year's setback in the Dale Howard Classic with an emphatic 85-73 win over host and seventh-ranked Ellsworth Community College on Friday (Nov. 8) in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Leading by as many as 19 and up double digits for the majority of the contest, the Monarchs were in complete control start-to-finish behind a balanced effort on both ends of the floor.
 
Friday's home loss was Ellsworth's first of the young season (2-1).
 
The game's only tie, a 2-2 score to start the contest, was quickly broken up by a 12-3 Macomb run and the Monarchs never looked back from there in the impressive road victory. The early burst sparked an impressive first half that saw the Monarchs take a 45-27 advantage into the halftime break.
 
Ellsworth knifed into the lead in the second half but never threatened as the nation's fourth-ranked team earned a 12-point win in a tough road setting.
 
Josh Hines (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) led the Monarchs in scoring for the second time in as many games with 22 points. The redshirt sophomore guard added five assists and was joined in the 20-point club by sophomore wing Jotham Nweke (Oak Park, Mich./Loyola) who tallied a career-high 20 points to go along with nine rebounds.
 
DaMaryon Fishburn (Detroit, Mich./Trillium Academy) continued to show up across the box score with 14 points and team-best marks in rebounds (10) and assists (6). Marlon Williams (Benton Harbor, Mich./Benton Harbor) recorded 13 points and eight rebounds, while Caron Williams (Mount Clemens, Mich./L'Anse Creuse) checked in with 10 points and three boards.
 
The Monarchs are back in action Saturday (Nov. 9) at 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT against an Iowa Western Community College team that is fresh off a Top-15 upset over Bay College.