MADISON, WISC. - A tough shooting stretch over the final 11-plus minutes of the first half ultimately proved to be the difference Saturday as the Madison College men's basketball team dropped a Region 4 contest with Carl Sandburg College by an 84-68 final inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. Three players scored in double-figures for the WolfPack, who saw a brief two-game win streak come to an end and remain winless in six all-time meetings with the Chargers.

Madison College owned a narrow 6-4 lead just over four minutes into the game when the Chargers used a three-pointer to take the lead, which they never relinquished. That triple ignited a 15-6 burst for Carl Sandburg College (4-4), and after freshman Tyler Mitchell came up with a steal and fed Mason Kleinsmith for an uncontested fastbreak layup with 10:47 to play, the WolfPack went the next four minutes and 38 seconds without a basket until Kleinsmith connected on a floater to make it 26-14. The Chargers would score 13 of the final 17 points of the half to take a 42-23 margin into the locker room.



The WolfPack began to regain some offensive firepower in the second half, but after Carl Sandburg College maxed out their lead at 26 with a three-pointer to make it 54-28 with more than 15 minutes remaining, the teams simply traded baskets and small runs. The WolfPack tried to make one final push inside of eight minutes to play when Justin Pleasant converted a inside bucket to start quick six-point swing to get the differential to 15, but CSC answered back and held off the Pack.

Sophomore Deante Luster was the WolfPack's leading scorer with 16 points on 6 of 15 shooting overall and a 2 for 8 effort from long range. The 6'3" wing was also 2 for 3 at the free throw line with a team-high seven assists and four steals.

Kleinsmith came off the bench to score 14 points and dish out five assists. The Madison, Wisconsin, native, made two 3-pointers as part of a 6 for 10 shooting day.

And Pleasant, a native of Beaumont, Texas, posted 13 points and a team-leading seven rebounds. He made four field goals and five three throws to record his fourth double-digit scoring game this season.

Madison College finished with their lowest shooting percentage of the season, going 25 for 57 (44%) from the field and 4 of 14 (28%) from three-point territory. They also finished 14 of 23 (61%) at the line. The WolfPack was tops in points in the paint by a 40-24 margin, while the Chargers owned a 20-13 edge in points off turnovers and made twice as many three-pointers.

Up Next:

Madison College (3-2) completes their three-game homestand on Tuesday, November 21 with their annual pre-Thanksgiving gathering with Rochester Community & Technical College (0-2). The Yellowjackets were ranked #5 in last week's NJCAA Division III Poll, and boast a 19-13 edge with three consecutive wins in the head-to-head series with the WolfPack. Game time is at 7:30 p.m. at H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium and can be streamed live at MadisonCollege.TV.

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