KALAMAZOO – No. 8 Macomb Men's Basketball took an early lead and never looked back in a 108-96 wire-to-wire victory over No. 10 Mid Michigan College on Friday (Feb. 28) in the MCCAA Semifinals. The Top 25 win, the Monarchs 10^th of the season, vaults the Blue & White into Saturday's (March 1) MCCAA Championship against host and seventh-ranked Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC). Tip-off for the title game is set for 3 p.m. at KVCC.

Impressively, Friday's semifinal victory marked the team's 16^th win of the campaign over a team that has received votes in the NJCAA Division II Rankings at some point this season and was the 10th Top 25 win of the year. The win also improved the Monarchs' record over the 10^th ranked Lakers to 2-1 on the season, avenging a home overtime setback in December. Friday's meeting, the third of the season, may not be the last between the two Top 10 teams as both could advance to the Great Lakes District C Championship on March 8 at 11 a.m. at Mott Community College.
 
The Monarchs attacked the basket early and often in the semifinal tilt and went on to record a 58-40 points in the paint advantage while shooting a red-hot 61.3% from the field. The battle on the glass also went in favor of the Monarchs, 50-32.
 
Josh Hines poured in a team-high 25 points and Marlon Williams posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds to pace the offensive end for the Monarchs. Caron Williams checked in with 15 points and five rebounds, while DaMaryon Fishburn rounded out the double figures scorers with 12 points to go along with seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
 
Lajuan Holloway dished out a game-high and career-high eight assists and added eight points and four rebounds in his latest start of the season. Jotham Nweke had eight points, four rebounds and three blocks, Malachi Irving went for eight points and five boards and the duo of Davion Guity and Jalen Jenkins tallied six points each.