MEMPHIS, Tenn.- For the second straight game, The W men's basketball rallied from a second-half deficit, only to fall short, this time in a 71-68 loss to North Central College in the third place game of the Hildeman Holiday Tournament at Rhodes College. The loss dropped the Owls to 5-6 on the year, while the Cardinals improved to 4-7.
 
The game was the first-ever meeting between MUW and NCC, which are members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW).
 
The W scored the first basket of the game for what would be its only lead of the first half. The Cardinals then went on an 11-0 run over the next four minutes and the Owls would find themselves playing catchup until the latter stages of the contest, down 35-26 at the half.
 
It took until the 7:49 juncture of the second half before MUW was able to wrest the lead back on a three-point basket from Jackson Reid that made it 54-53. The W would grow its advantage to as many as five points over the next few minutes. In the final 4:21 of the game, there would be three more lead changes and one tie.
 
In all, four Owls finished in double-digit scoring, led by Tray Huguley's 17 points. Huguley was an efficient 5-of-6 from the floor, 1-of-1 from beyond the arc, and 6-for-6 from the charity stripe, on his way to his 10th-consecutive double-figure point game. He also chipped in five rebounds and two steals.
 
Trent Walker and Devin McCaine each tallied 11 points. Walker went 4-of-7 from the floor – including three treys – and also had a team-best seven rebounds. McCaine shot 4-for-8 and dished off four assists.
 
Tyler Shephard added 10 points to round out the quartet. Shephard was 3-of-5 from the field.
 
Joe Haze Austin booked eight points and passed off a team-high five assists, along with making three steals. Reid finished with six points. Austin and Reid each had a blocked shot.
 
As a team, MUW shot 55 percent (22-40) from the field. And while rebounds were fairly close, 28-25 in favor of NCC, the Cardinals held a 15-to-7 margin on the offensive glass, which they converted into 23 second chance points. The Owls committed 19 turnovers, as well, which North Central parlayed into 32 of its points.
 
Walker was cited as a member of the All-Tournament Team, as well.
 
The W will be off until January 3, 2026, when it hosts Lyon College in a SLIAC bout at Pohl Gym.