The Riverland Community College men’s basketball team made life difficult for the No. 4 ranked RCTC Yellowjackets, but it couldn’t close the deal as it lost 72-64 in Riverland Gym Wednesday.

RCTC (20-2 overall, 8-1 MCAC South) picked up a flagrant foul and two technicals in the second half, but it used a 10-2 run to go from being up 50-49 with 8:30 left in the game to being up 60-51 with 5:45 left in the game.

RCC shot just 38 percent from the field and it had 20 turnovers in the loss.

“Down the stretch their defense did a good job,” RCC head coach Derek Hahn said. “We had some turnovers at the end of the first half and they did a good job of not fouling down the stretch. There was a lot of times where they walled up and we just didn’t finish the lay up.”

The Blue Devils (7-15 overall, 2-7 MCAC South) led 13-5 to start the game after Marcus Myers had a couple of breakaway lay-ups and they battled with the Yellowjackets for the rest of the night.

“The energy level has been where we need it to be in the last three games,” Hahn said. “We needed this kind of energy at the start of conference play. If we can get this consistent energy good things are going to happen for us.”

Darius Bell and Myers each had 14 points for RCC and Greg Boyd added 11 points.

RCTC 35 37 — 72

RCC 30 34 — 64

RCC scoring: Darius Bell, 14; Marcus Myers, 14; Greg Boyd, 11; Marcus Wynn, 9; Jerome Cummings, 6; Abdi Abdikadir, 4; Brandon Delvalle, 4; Donte Makazu, 2; field goals: 38 percent (24-for-64); three-pointers: 25 percent (5-for-20); free throws: 69 percent (11-for-16); rebounds: 40 (Makuzu, 7); turnovers: 20