MOLINE, ILL. - Madison College survived its first overtime game of the season on Saturday, using some clutch free throw shooting to overcome a Black Hawk College in a Region 4 men's basketball game. After the host Braves used two late buckets to pull even at the end of regulation, the #19-ranked WolfPack closed out the win at the free throw line. Sophomore Cullen Rauls led all players with his fourth game with 20 or more points. The Pack, which is now 11-0 against Region 4 competition, owns a 2-1 lead over BHC in the all-time series.

Black Hawk College (7-9) held the advantage for a majority of the first half after taking a 4-2 lead roughly 90 seconds into the game. The differential grew to as high as seven before the WolfPack strung together a 6-0 surge later in the half to tie the game at 25-25 with seven minutes to play. Freshman George Whaley IV drained a jumper with about 15 seconds left in the half to give Madison College a 35-33 edge at the break.

The WolfPack maintained a narrow lead throughout most of the second, and made it 53-45 with nine minutes to go when sophomore JP Pleasant drilled a three-pointer off an offensive rebound. Black Hawk College trimmed their deficit to just three at 59-56 with 1:37 remaining, and a Cullen Rauls free throw with 41 second to play made it a two possession game. After BHC converted a layup, Carson McCormick missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw situation to allow the Braves Dion Doyle to score another layup with four seconds left. Whaley's attempt at a game-winning three-pointer was blocked as time expired, and the game was moving to overtime.

The teams traded baskets to start the OT session, and with the score tied at 64-64, Pleasant went back to his inside game and worked a post-up situation into a go-ahead layup with 1:18 on the clock. The rest of the game was decided at the free throw line, where the WolfPack converted 9 of 10 attempts over the final 45 seconds. The Braves, meanwhile, had three unsuccessful possession as the score became 71-64. Back-to-back three-pointers by BHC sandwiched around two McCormick free throws cut the score to 73-70 with 2.2 seconds remaining. Rauls finished off the win with two more free throws.



Rauls, a native of Fall River, Wisconsin, scored 15 of his 26 points in the first half. The 6'1" guard was 10 for 20 from the field with one 3-pointer, while also going 5 for 6 at the foul line. He reeled in eight rebounds to set a new career-best mark, while also posting three assists, one steal, and one block.

Pleasant finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, and now boasts nine games scoring in double figures. The native of Beaumont, Texas, was 7 for 12 overall with a three-pointer and sank 2 of 3 free throws.

McCormick rounded out the double-digit scorers for the WolfPack with 13 points. The former Janesville Craig HS athlete made three of his four baskets from beyond the arc.

Whaley and Ceegan Rauls were tops on the team with four assists each.



Madison College shot 45% (29-64) overall, 33% (5-15) from long range, and 75% (12-16) at the charity stripe. Black Hawk College, which was just 1 for 3 (33%) at the free throw line, shot 45% (31-69) from the floor and 36% (7-19) from three-point territory. The WolfPack committed three fewer turnovers and converted that into a 20-7 edge in points off turnovers.

Up Next:

Madison College (12-2) returns from its two-game road swing to host in-state rival Bryant & Stratton College (13-4) on Wednesday, January 15. The matchup pits two of the four teams remaining without a loss in Region 4 play, and marks the seventh all-time meeting after the Bobcats and WolfPack split the first six. Tip off inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium is set for 7:30 p.m. and can be live streamed at MadisonCollege.TV.

Wednesday will also be MLK Celebration Day, with Madison College Athletics celebrating the lasting legacy on Dr. Martin Luther King on his birthday and just five days ahead of the national holiday in his honor.

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