As the No. 1 seed in playoffs, the Cyclones (18-9) were ready to start the quarterfinals with a bang. They did just that in an 84-67 victory over Kishwaukee College (8-22).

Whenever playoff season starts, all bets are off. The intensity level rises and teams play more intently than they had all season. The Cyclones still took the Kougars seriously, as scoring didn't come easy at the start of the game. For the first few minutes, the Kougars took a narrow lead as the Cyclones allowed them access to the basket and missed a few of their own shots. After eight minutes, the Cyclones were able to secure a lead thanks to some buckets from Kobe Adams and Anthony Taylor. They never relinquished the lead after that point.

By halftime, the Cyclones were up 47-33. The Cyclones put on a press in the second half, preventing the Kougars from scoring for a few minutes while scoring a few points to spread the lead. Moraine Valley caused a few more turnovers and capitalized on a number of steals to ultimately earn the 17-point win and advance to the semifinals.

Isiah Burd led the offense with 23 points followed by Adams with 17. Jalen Levy contributed 15 points while Taylor had 13 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and four steals.

The Cyclones face Black Hawk College on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m., in the Cyclone Center. The game will be livestreamed to the Athletics YouTube page.