The Madison College men's basketball team is halfway through one of the toughest four-game stretches in the NJCAA this season, but despite another valiant effort, the WolfPack still have nothing to show for their improved play after falling to Milwaukee Area Technical College by a 73-59 margin on Wednesday at Redsten Gym. The Stormers, who fell from #8 to just outside the top-ten in the NJCAA Division III polls prior to the game, would have marked the third of four consecutive ranked opponents on the WolfPack schedule. The 'Pack had lost to #1 Rock Valley and #3 Triton within the past week, and play at #9 Joliet this weekend.

Twelve minutes into the game Madison College trailed 22-10 and had made just 4-of-17 shots from the field. The tide changed when Ethan Lurquin knocked in a three-pointer, which was followed by three consecutive bombs from Tyler Meier, part of a sudden 14-0 run that propelled the WolfPack into its first lead of the game. The advantage was short-lived and the Stormers regained a 35-30 edge at the half.

In the second Madison College pulled to within two points on four separate occasions, however, a 9-0 MATC-Milwaukee burst ended with the 'Pack trailing 50-39 with 10:31 to play. By the 6:24 mark the deficit had stretched to double digits and the WolfPack had a third straight loss. Madison College didn't do itself any favors with 17 turnovers that the Stormers turned into 21 points. The visitors also made a better living at the free throw line, going 18-for-25 compared to a 12-for-22 effort by the navy and grey.

Tyler Meier led the charge hitting 5-of-6 shots from beyond the arc en route to a career-high 20 points, increasing his season average to 10.1 a game. The sophomore guard from Monticello, Wisconsin, has found a groove offensively, reaching double-figure point totals in five straight games and nine of the last ten. Freshman forward Markus Tobias fell a rebound shy of his second double-double of the year, finishing with 15 points and nine boards. After starting his Madison College career with seven straight games with 18 points or more, Ethan Lurquin was limited to just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. Cortez McCree tallied seven points, and Kristian Zimmerman registered four points and five assists.

Madison College departs for a three-game road swing starting Saturday, January 23 against #9 Joliet Junior College (NJCAA DIII). The WolfPack and Wolves split their regular season series last winter, with each winning on their home floor. Prior to that, JJC had won 15 straight and now own a 4-18 overall mark in the all-time series that dates back to 1998. Game time in Joliet, Illinois, is at 3:00 p.m.