DETROIT, Mich. – Macomb Men's Basketball used a gritty effort defensively to beat No. 15 Schoolcraft College, 52-50, on Wednesday (Feb. 4) at the Matthaei Center in Detroit. The win marked the Monarchs fifth over a Top 25 opponent this season.

The Monarchs are now 13-10 overall and remain in a three-way tie atop the MCCAA East at 6-2 in league play with the win. The Ocelots fell 18-4 overall and 5-3 in league action after being held to a season low 50 points on 28.8% shooting.

The hard-fought victory kept the Monarchs undefeated with a 5-0 record at their temporary 2025-26 season home on the campus of Wayne State University. 

In a game that featured four ties and four lead changes, the Ocelots' biggest lead of three points came early with a 5-2 edge before the Monarchs muscled their way to a 27-22 lead at the halftime break. Donald Wilburn had 10 points in the opening 20 minutes while Jaylon Jackson and Dante Wimberly had five each. Wilburn's presence on the offensive glass set the tone early for the Monarchs as the sophomore transfer hauled in three offensive rebounds for six of his 10 first half points. 

The Ocelots were able to knot up the game on a pair of occasions late but the Monarchs never relinquished the lead as the Blue & White made key stops down the stretch to earn the defensive-minded victory. The Monarchs led for over 85% of the game as the 15th ranked Ocelots last led by a 16-15 margin midway through the opening half. 

Wilburn and Jackson finished the game with 12 points each to lead the Monarchs offensively. Joey Angok netted eight points while Tabari Howard pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. 

The Monarchs dominated the interior, outscoring the Ocelots 28-20 in the paint while owning an 18-9 advantage in second chance points. Bench scoring also played a key role as the Monarchs' depth prevailed, outscoring the Ocelots' reserves, 25-9.

The Monarchs will host Henry Ford College, a team receiving votes in the latest national poll, on Saturday (Feb. 7) at 3 p.m. from the Matthaei Center in Detroit.