MADISON, WISC. - It came down to the final possession, and after four ties and five lead changes, the Madison College women's basketball team held off NJCAA Division I Sauk Valley Community College by a 68-65 final to win their 2018-19 home opener at H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. The WolfPack started slow with just seven points in the first quarter, but turned things around to average 20.3 points over the next three quarters behind the double-digit scoring efforts of freshmen Aniah Williams, Jayla Connor, and Evonne Strahm. The win is the fourth consecutive over the Skyhawks in a series that has been played almost every year since 1990.

Madison College opened the game by making just two of its first 14 shots, including a 1 for 8 effort from beyond the arc. Trailing 20-11 with just under seven minutes to play in the half, the WolfPack went on an 18-10 run, highlighted by a three Williams' three-pointers, to close the game to a single point at the half.



The momentum carried into the third quarter, which opened with a eight-point surge from the home team and propelled the 'Pack to their largest lead of the night at 45-32 following a Connor triple at the 4:50 mark. Sauk Valley (0-3) slowly chipped away at the differential, eventually re-taking the lead three minutes into the fourth quarter. The teams traded blows the rest of the way out before a pair of free throws sandwiched around a key offensive rebound provided the final difference. Up 66-65 with less than ten seconds to play, Connor made the first of two free throws, however, sophomore forward Caitlyn Gilbertson secured a long offensive board and drew another foul. The Platteville, Wisconsin, native promptly sank both tries, leaving SVCC with one final shot and four ticks on the clock remaining. After advancing the ball, the Skyhawks inbounds play led to an airballed three at the buzzer.

Williams finished with a team-high 17 points and eight rebounds. The guard from Beloit Memorial High School was 6 of 22 overall and 3 for 11 from downtown, while also making a pair of free throws. Connor and Strahm each hit five field goals en route to 14 and 13 points, respectively. The trio combined to score 44 points, grab 15 rebounds, and accounted for all nine of the team's steals, led by Strahm's five.

Both teams were an identical 6 of 23 from three-point range, but the WolfPack finished 24 for 65 overall and 14 of 23 at the charity stripe, compared to a 27 for 62 effort from the floor and a 5 for 10 mark at the line for the Skyhawks. The visitors also finished with narrow advantages in points off turnovers (+3), second chance points (+4), points in the paint (+4), and bench scoring (+3). but the loss pulls the 'Pack to a 14-19 record all-time against SVCC.

Up Next:

Madison College (2-3) continues their four-game homestand with a Saturday, November 17 matinee against NJCAA Division II Carl Sandburg College (3-2). The Chargers lead the all-time series 4-2, however, the 'Pack won the last meeting in 2015. Tip off is 1:00 p.m. at H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. 

All home Madison College women's basketball games can be streamed live at MadisonCollege.tv.

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