WISCONSIN DELLS, WISC. - The Madison College men's basketball team closed out 2023 with a pair of close losses at the Wisconsin Dells Holiday Classic at JustAGame Fieldhouse on December 29-30. The WolfPack fell 77-73 on Friday against Bay College (MI), and then nearly completed a second-half comeback at the buzzer in an 81-79 setback Saturday against Lake Michigan College. The losses extend the Pack's current losing streak to four games, with an average margin of defeat at 7.5 points during that stretch.

Game #1 (Friday): Bay College 77, Madison College 73

The high-scoring weekend for sophomore Deante Luster started with a 30-point effort in the opener against Bay College (11-1), matching a season-high set November 16 against Western Technical College. The 6'3" wing finished 8 for 17 overall and hit 3 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc, while also converting 11 of 13 free throw tries. Luster nearly posted a double-double as he secured a team-best nine rebounds.

Freshman Antoine Coleman and Tyler Mitchell also scored in double-figures, with Coleman dropping in a career-best 14 points and Mitchell added 11 points. Coleman, a native of Kewaskum, Wisconsin, sank 7 of 10 shots from the field and grabbed six rebounds. Mitchell finished 3 for 12 on the day and was 5 for 7 at the stripe. He also dished out a team-leading four assists.

Madison College led most of a back-and-forth first half against the Norse, owning a four-point advantage on two separate occasions. Early in the second half, Luster posted 11 straight points for the WolfPack, who eventually put together a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 49-38 with 13:33 to play. A little more than six minutes later, Bay College used a slam dunk to take a 59-58 edge. Madison College maintained a slim lead for most of the final seven minutes, however, after an old fashioned three-point play by Luster made it 72-71 in favor of the WolfPack, the Norse responded by scoring six of the final seven points to close out the win.

Madison College finished 23 of 55 (41%) from the field, 5 of 14 (35%) from long range, and 22 of 28 at the free throw line. Bay College out-rebounded the Pack by a 45-36 margin, which led to a 28-11 edge in second chance points. Additionally, the Norse owned a 40-28 lead in points in the paint and were plus-13 in points off turnovers.

Bay College now leads the all-time series by a 2-1 count.

Game #2 (Saturday): Lake Michigan College 91, Madison College 89

The weekend's final game saw Madison College score first, play from behind for nearly the entirety of the game, and still have a chance to tie in the final seconds of the first-ever meeting against Lake Michigan College (4-6). The game's opening bucket was followed by a quick 9-0 run by the Red Hawks, but the WolfPack hung tough and after an Antoine Coleman basket closed the gap to a single point, freshman Armon Freeman put Madison College in front with a soaring rebound dunk with 2:40 to play in the half.



Madison College trailed 35-30 at the break, and seven quick points by LMC to open the second half increased the deficit to 12. The differential eventually peaked at 14 when Lake Michigan College drained a three-pointer to make it 60-46 with 12:47 remaining. Still down a dozen with 4:30 to play, Deante Luster again put the team on his back and scored 13 straight points as they drew within 85-80. Struggles at the free throw line in the final minutes by the Red Hawks kept Madison College's chances alive, and after two more layups from Luster, Freeman came through his another clutch play as he drained a long three-pointer from the top of the key with three-second left to make it a 90-89 deficit. Following a made free throw by LMC to make it a two-point game, the WolfPack's Brian Gould threw a long pass to Freeman, whose turnaround jumper rimmed out as time expired.

Luster led the way with 27 points, 23 of which came in the second half. The Columbia, South Carolina, native, went 10 for 21 overall with one three-pointer and was 6 of 9 at the charity stripe. He also added six rebounds and a team-high five assists to compliment his sixth game with 20 or more points this season.

Tyler Mitchell finished with 21 points for his third game of 20-plus in the last six outings. The guard from Dallas, Texas, ended the game 9 of 13 overall and with three free throws.

Freeman came off the bench to score a career-best 17 points in just his sixth game played after missing the season's first seven games due to injury. The scoring effort was part of the first career double-double for the native of Duluth, Minnesota, as he also amassed 11 rebounds. Freeman drained two of the team's five 3-pointers and was 6 of 13 from the floor and 3 of 4 at the stripe. 

Antoine Coleman was also in double-figures with 13 points, to go along with eight rebounds. He now boasts for double-digit scoring performances this season.

The WolfPack shot 50% (35-70) overall, 20% (5-24) from outside the arc, and 61% (14-23) at the line. Madison College owned a 56-42 edge in points in the paint. The team's 22 turnovers tied for the most in a game this season. 

Up Next:

Madison College (5-8) remains on the road for their first three games of 2024, starting Thursday, January 4 at the College of DuPage (9-6). The WolfPack are 17-15 against the Chaparrals, who won two of the three head-to-head meetings last season. Tip off in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, is set for 7:00 p.m.

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