MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College men's basketball lost a key home Region 4 game Saturday inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium, falling 90-79 to Morton College. Playing with just five available players for the second consecutive game, the WolfPack were able to get double-digit scoring from each, led by yet another 30-plus-point effort by sophomore Deante Luster, however, a near eight-minute stretch without a field goal in the second half turned the game in the Panthers favor. The WolfPack is now 0-3 all-time against Morton College.

Neither team led by more than five points through the game's first ten minutes until Morton College (17-8) generated a 12-2 burst to turn a three-point game into a 29-16 differential with 7:29 to play in the half. Still trailing by a dozen with 2:16 remaining, the WolfPack used a Luster three-pointer to start a 12-2 surge of their own to narrow the gap to 43-41 after Tyler Mitchell hit a layup in the final few seconds.

The start of the second half saw the Panthers extended their lead to eight, which they still had at 54-46 with 15:43 left. Madison College answered with eight consecutive points to tie the score at 54-54 on Antoine Coleman's 18-foot jumper. Following a timeout by coach Jason Roscoe, the WolfPack would go the next 7:30 without a basket, allowing Morton College to string together a 17-2 stretch that put the game out of reach. Madison College did close to within nine with 4:37 to play, but it was followed by five quick Panthers points and the fifth foul on the Pack's Justin Pleasant, leaving the home team to finish the game 5-on-4.



Luster, a former Sun Prairie HS athlete, produced his sixth game with 30 or more points as he tallied 32 and moved to #12 on the school's all-time scoring list with 874 points. The 6'3" wing made three of his eight field goals from beyond the arc and was a career-best 13 of 15 from the free throw line. Luster also led the WolfPack with nine rebounds, five assists, and a career-high six steals that ties for the second more in a single game in program history.

Fellow second year wing Peter Gustafson was 4 for 6 from the field with a three-pointer and sank 6 of his 8 free throw attempts to reach 15 points for his ninth double-digit scoring game this year. The Monticello, Wisconsin, native also had six rebounds.

Freshman Tyler Mitchell had 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Fellow first year's Coleman and Pleasant both added ten points.

Madison College shot 27 of 59 (45%) overall and 4 of 13 (30%) from long range, while also sinking 21 of 26 (80%) free throws. Morton College took advantage of 21 offensive rebounds to generate a 12-5 edge in second chance points, while also forcing the Pack into a season-high-tying 22 turnovers that led to a 17-12 differential in points off turnovers.

Up Next:

Madison College (9-14) will close out the regular season with three games against Region 4 teams all mentioned in the latest NJCAA Division II Poll, including two games against the last two NJCAA Division II champions. That stretch begins Tuesday, February 13 with the final away game of the season at South Suburban College (24-2). The Bulldogs, who are ranked #3 and are two years removed from a national title, topped the WolfPack in Madison last season to even the all-time series at 1-1. Tip off in South Holland, Illinois, is at 7:00 p.m.

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