Appel powers No. 11 Eagles with 38
The victory lifted Kirkwood into a two-way tie for the ICCAC lead with DMACC at 10-2 with two games left in the conference race.
Appel made 14 of 22 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers. He also collected four assists and two blocks.
Jamal Stephenson contributed 11 points for the Eagles (21-5). Seybian Sims and Devonte Thedford netted 10 points apiece.
Adam Jackson scored 17 points for Ellsworth (13-14, 3-8).
Kirkwood visits 13th-ranked NIACC Saturday.
KIRKWOOD (84): Seybian Sims 4-8 0-0 10, Devonte Thedford 4-8 2-2 10, Luke Appel 14-22 7-9 38, Jamal Stephenson 3-6 3-5 11, DJ Purnell 3-8 0-0 6, Gacoby Jones 1-3 0-0 2, Griffen Clark 1-3 0-0 3, Owen Coburn 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 32-63 12-16 84.
ELLSWORTH (71): CJ Wright 5-11 2-3 13, Anthony Eddy 1-7 0-0 2, Josh Donaldson 3-8 3-3 11, Alex Oberhauser 4-12 0-0 10, Kevin Rewoldt 0-4 0-0 0, Junior Bodden 2-4 0-0 4, Adam Jackson 4-14 5-7 17, Keaton Taylor 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Urness 0-0 0-0 0, Aaron Bartels 0-0 0-0 0, Jamal Randle 0-1 0-0 0, Callan Blackley 4-4 0-0 11, Matt Dawson 0-0 0-0 0, Kaleb Roling 1-1 1-1 3, Joe Johnson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 24-69 11-14 71.
Halftime - Kirkwood 40, Ellsworth 34. 3-point goals - Kirkwood 8-17 (Sims 2-5, Thedford 0-1, Appel 3-5, Stephenson 2-2, Purnell 0-1, Clark 1-3), Ellsworth 12-30 (Wright 1-3, Eddy 0-3, Donaldson 2-5, Oberhauser 2-7, Bodden 0-1, Jackson 4-8, Blackley 3-3).
