The goal from Day One was to earn a trip to the NJCAA Division III National Tournament, and with a win Tuesday night the Madison College women's basketball team will achieve just that. The #4 WolfPack will host #8 Mid-Michigan Community College in the District B Championship at 7:00 p.m. in Redsten Gymnasium. A live video stream of the game will be available
here.
The WolfPack, winners of the Region IV Tournament after Sunday's 57-53 defeat of Rock Valley College, are 27-3 on the season and winners of four straight games. Madison College opened the season with the second best start in program history winning their first 16 games. The team averages 71.3 points per game, good for 13th best in the nation, while also holding team's to the 15th best mark of 47.8 points. The WolfPack are the number one team in the country when it comes to opponent three-point field goal percentage, holding teams to an 18.6% success rate. They also sit in the top ten nationally in opponent field goal percentage (3rd), rebounding (7th), and free throws made (8th).
Sophomore
Jenna Endres is the team's leading scorer at 16.2 points per game, and is shooting 36% from beyond the arc with 3.1 makes a night. She was recently named to the Region IV All-Tournament Team. Freshman
Rachel Slaney, the Region IV Tournament MVP, is second at 15.4 points and leads the squad with 8.4 rebounds and 3.1 steals. All-America guard
Taylor Nelson has been battling a knee injury the past five weeks, but is also scoring in double figures on the season at 15.4 points. The point guard distributes a team-best 4.4 assists a contest.
Madison College is seeking its seventh trip to nationals and first since 2009-10 when coach
Jessica Pelzel led the 'Pack to its lone national championship.
Mid-Michigan enters with a 23-3 record and a number eight ranking, their highest of the season. The Lakers defeated Lorain County 123-68 to claim the Region XII title, while also extending their winning streak to 11 straight games. MMCC owns the fourth highest scoring offense in the country at 79.5 points a game, as well as the fourth-best scoring defense at 35.5 points. They are also top ten nationally in three-pointers attempted (3rd) and made (4th), field goals made (5th), and steals (6th).
The Lakers feature three players scoring in double figures, led by Kara Schafer's 18.3 points per game. Kara Hughston is season at 12.5 and Maddie Shurlow - the team's top long range shooter - nets 10.5 a contest.
The two teams have a pair of common opponents this season. Against the College of DuPage, the WolfPack went 2-0 with an average margin of victory of 29.5. Mid-Michigan topped the Chaparrals by an 83-37 final. Against Rock Valley College, the 'Pack won two of three games this season, while the Lakers fell 76-66 in Rockford, Illinois on December 13.
Tuesday's matchup will second straight year the two teams have met in the postseason after Madison College defeated the Lakers in Redsten Gym
89-79Â in the Region IV Quarterfinals.
Ticket Prices - Adults (18 & Up): $4 | Students (11-17): $2 | Children (10 & Under): Free
Free Admission with a valid Madison College OneCard.
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