MADISON, WISC. - The 2023 home opener saw plenty of offense as the Madison College men's basketball team produced their season-high in points en route to a 98-86 win over longtime in-state rival Western Technical College on Thursday night inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. Sophomore Deante Luster poured in a season-best 30 points, falling one point shy of his career-high, in helping the WolfPack to their second straight win. The victory also gives Madison College a 71-33 lead in the all-time series that dates back to 1970.

Luster, a former Sun Prairie HS athlete, connected on 12 of 17 shots, including a career-high five 3-pointers, and was 1 for 2 at the free throw line. The 6'3" wing also paced the Pack with eight assists and four steals, and is 15th in the nation at 23.8 points per game.

The WolfPack, whose previous game-high for points this season was 74 in a road loss at Illinois Valley Community College, saw four others score in double-figures. Freshman Mason Kleinsmith, a native of Madison, Wisconsin, dropped in a career-best 16 points on 6 of 16 shooting with a triple and three free throws. First year forward Antoine Coleman, a product of Kewaskum, Wisconsin, recorded his first double-digit scoring performance with 11 points, to go along with four rebounds and two assists.



Freshmen Tyler Mitchell and Justin Pleasant each went for ten points, with the latter also snatching up a career-high 12 rebounds for his second double-double.

Madison College nearly led from start to finish, using a quick 7-0 run early in the game to build separation from a 7-5 lead. Western Tech (2-1) clawed back to an 18-17 deficit as their three-point shooting began to heat up. A pair of free throws with just over 11 minutes left in the half gave the Cavaliers a 23-22 lead that last just 20 second until Kleinsmith canned his only three-pointer to put the WolfPack back out in front. He bookended a 12-2 run with a layup that extended the advantage to nine before an 14-5 push from WTC tied the game at 39-39.

Madison College led by four to start the second half, and after a Cavaliers long-range hit brought the gap to 51-49, the WolfPack scored seven unanswered and used another Luster three-ball to return to the lead to ten. Western Technical College did get within eight on two occasions, however, Madison College maintained a lead of ten or more the rest of the game, and led by as much as 18.

The WolfPack were 37 for 74 (50%) overall, 6 of 13 (46%) from distance, and 18 of 26 (69%) at the free throw line. The Cavaliers shot nearly 48% beyond the arc, with 11 of their 29 made field goals coming from three-point territory. They also converted 17 of 26 free throws. Madison College dominated the paint with a 54-28 edge in interior scoring and a 21-14 differential in second chance points thanks to being plus-nine on the glass.

Up Next:

Madison College (3-1) remains home for three more games, including a Saturday, November 18 showdown with Region 4 foe Carl Sandburg College (3-4). The WolfPack have never beaten the Chargers in five all-time meetings. Tip off at H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium is at 2:00 p.m. and can be streamed live at MadisonCollege.TV.

The WolfPack men's basketball team will also be celebrating Youth Day on Saturday, with free admission to anyone youth or prep players wearing their team jersey.

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