Seven times over the past 16 years, the Madison College women's basketball team has hoisted a region tournament championship trophy. The focus for head coach Lois Heeren and the 2018-19 team is to reach the pinnacle of the region once again. Madison College, which finished the regular season with a 19-7 record, was given the #2 seed in the upcoming 2019 NJCAA Region IV Division III Women's Basketball Tournament and will begin postseason play with a semifinal matchup against #3-seeded Elgin Community College (22-8) on Saturday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. The other semifinal pits top-seeded Rock Valley College against #4-seed Joliet Junior, with both games being played at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. 

The all-time series between the WolfPack and the Spartans is limited, with the two programs only beginning to play each other every year beginning in 2013. Of the previous six matchups, Madison College has won five times and currently owns a four-game win streak. That streak includes a 66-59 road victory on December 1, 2018, which turned out to be win number six of a season-long ten game winning streak during the non-conference portion of the schedule. That win saw the visiting 'Pack rally from a nine-point defecit with a 17-4 fourth quarter. Saturday's get-together will be the first head-to-head game in the postseason.

Since the calendar flipped to a new year, the WolfPack has been led by the dynamic duo of Aniah Wililams and Shaquita Lee. Together the guard tandem is averaging nearly 50 points per game and has accounted for 65.5% of the teams offensive production during conference play. Those numbers earned each all-conference and all-region accolades.



That being said, the key to Madison College achieving postseason success will be the ability to generate a consistent third scorer. In the WolfPack's four losses against North Central Community College Conference opponents, the only players to score in double figures were Lee and Williams. However, in their nine wins - the team's tenth win came via forfeit against Wilbur Wright College - Madison College had at least one other players score ten or more points. Second year forward Caitlyn Gilbertson filled that role on six occasions, and sophomore guard Tianna Sackett did so five times.

Should the WolfPack advance to Sunday's championship game, they will face a team that has already defeated them once this season. Madison College dropped both regular season meetings against eventual N4C champion and the #3 ranked team in the NJCAA Division III Poll, Rock Valley College. The WolfPack, who are receiving votes in that same poll, have dropped six straight games against the Golden Eagles and are 1-2 in postseason matchups. Joliet Junior College topped the 'Pack in the first conference game of the season, though Madison College split the regular season series after a two-point road win in overtime. The Wolves have ended the WolfPack's season each of the past two years and own a 3-2 edge in postseason matchups.

Madison College has won seven region championships, including two since joining Region IV. The Region IV Tournament winner will advance to the NJCAA District B Championship and will travel to play the Region XII winner for an automatic berth in the NJCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, from March 14-16.



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