The Madison College men's basketball team has a limited history with the Region IV tournament, so when the WolfPack takes the floor at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, this weekend, they'll be looking to accomplish something no team before them has: win it all. In fact, the program has raised just one region title banner in its 53-year history, and that came 33 years ago as part of the school's only trip to the NJCAA National Tournament. Since joining the region in 2009-10, the 'Pack has played in two championship games and will be making its sixth appearance in the semifinals. The 2018-19 team, led by first year head coach Jamal Palmer, is the 2019 NJCAA Region IV Division III Men's Basketball Tournament's #3 seed and will begin postseason play against #2-seeded Elgin Community College on Saturday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m. The other semifinal features top-seeded Rock Valley College taking on #4-seeded Joliet Junior College.

The WolfPack and Spartans have only played seven times before with the all-time series starting in the 2013-14. Elgin leads by a 5-2 count, including a 90-81 decision on December 1, 2018, that featured more than 100 combined points in the paint. Sophomore Adam Anhold led the way that night with 23 points. The teams did meet once before in the postseason, a Region IV semifinal two years ago in which a missed three at the buzzer would have given the WolfPack, and instead ignited the Spartans on a run to the NJCAA National Championship Game. Elgin is currently receiving votes in the latest NJCAA Division III Poll and owns a 24-6 record.

Anhold has been Madison College's top scorer on the year, averaging 18.0 points and shooting 57% from the floor en route to earning First Team All-North Central Community College Conference honors. The 6'8" forward from Janesville, Wisconsin, also leads the team with 8.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a contest. A trio of sophomore guards is also scoring in double-figures, with Jalen Addison putting up 15.9 a night, followed by Nathaniel Buss at 13.2 per game, and Sean Suchomel at 10.5. That trio also combines for 10.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and more than four steals a game. 



Madison College twice won four consecutive games during the season, finishing with a 14-12 mark overall that extended a streak of seasons with at least ten wins to five. The potential title game matchups bring two very different sets of recent history. The WolfPack fell twice to Rock Valley College during the season, including a double-overtime setback on road. The Golden Eagles, currently ranked #9 in the country, have won 17 of 23 against the WolfPack since the two became conference and region foes. Madison College is 1-2 in previous postseason meetings, most recently taking a 76-59 loss in last year's Region IV semifinals. Joliet Junior College, the defending region champs, was swept by the WolfPack during the regular season for the first time ever. The two teams have just one prior postseason meeting, a JJC win in the 2011 Region IV title game.

The winners will meet in the title game on Sunday, with the Region IV champion advancing to and hosting the NJCAA District II Championship on March 2 against the Region XII winner. The outcome of that game will decide who gets an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Championship in Rochester, Minnesota, from March 14-16.



Follow WolfPack men's basketball: Facebook | Twitter