MILWAUKEE, Wis. — MATC returned to form on Saturday with a decisive 69–40 home win over Kishwaukee. The Stormers snapped a two‑game skid and improved to 9–10 overall in the process. MATC controlled the game from the opening tip, building a double‑digit lead in the first quarter and dominating the glass throughout the afternoon to secure its fourth straight home victory after opening the season 0-3 at home.

"There were a couple of tough losses this week, so it was good to return home and get a win in front of our home crowd and to extend our home winning streak," Stormers head coach Arom Murrell said. "It was much needed."

MATC set the tone early behind a strong opening quarter that featured efficient shooting and complete control of the glass. Rachel Schlies sparked the Stormers with seven points on 3‑for‑5 shooting, including a three‑pointer, as MATC shot 60 percent in the period while holding Kishwaukee to 28.6 percent. The Kougars briefly led 10–9, but the Stormers closed the final six minutes on a 12–0 run. Laila Hamiel, Zihre Sellers and Lacee Rodriguez each scored four points during the surge, and MATC finished the quarter with a 13–4 rebounding advantage to take a 21–10 lead.

"I knew we had the interior advantage, but more than anything, I just felt like we came out ready to play today," Murrell said of his team's strong start.

MATC carried its momentum into the second quarter and continued to smother Kishwaukee defensively. The Stormers held the Kougars scoreless from the final six minutes of the first quarter all the way to the 5:20 mark of the second, a drought that spanned more than eleven minutes of game time. Kishwaukee finally broke through when Kezaria Mitchell slipped in a layup to make it 29–12, sparking an 11–4 run to close the half as MATC's nine turnovers in the period opened the door. Even with the late push, the Stormers' early control held firm and they took a 33–21 lead into the locker room.

MATC then used that defensive foundation to break the game open coming out of halftime. The Stormers immediately strung together an 11–0 run behind baskets from Moriah Landry, Lacee Rodriguez, Rachel Schlies and Zihre Sellers, with both Schlies and Sellers finishing the period with five points. MATC completely dominated the glass, pulling down 21 rebounds in the quarter, including 11 on the offensive end. Emani Summers grabbed three of those offensive boards herself, helping the Stormers post a 9–0 advantage in second‑chance points as the lead swelled heading into the fourth.

"I think a key part was how we came out in that third quarter," Murrell said. "We went on an 11–0 run."

MATC had full command by the time the fourth quarter began and closed the afternoon with another steady stretch of play. The Stormers continued to control the interior and finished the game shooting nearly 44 percent from the field while holding a 46–24 advantage in paint points. Their work on the glass also paid off with a 19–4 edge in second‑chance scoring, and the bench added a 24–6 margin that helped keep the lead comfortable despite a 27–23 turnover deficit. MATC's largest lead reached 69–39 in the final minutes before the Stormers settled in to finish off the 29‑point win.

MATC's balance showed across the stat sheet. Sellers led the Stormers with 15 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal on 7‑for‑10 shooting. Schlies added 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Summers filled the box score with eight points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Sa'Nyai Mitchell finished with nine points, three rebounds, three steals and an assist, and Rodriguez contributed six points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

"We put a lot of work in and we get a lot of shots up at practice, so I give credit to my coaches and my teammates for pushing me," Sellers said. "I get in my head sometimes, but they help me all the time."

Sellers' performance carried added meaning after her recent absence. She had missed four of the previous five games with a shoulder injury and played only 12 minutes on Jan. 13 against Bryant and Stratton before sitting out the Jan. 15 matchup at Kankakee.

"It feels good to come back and play well," Sellers said. "I wasn't really able to play too much [against Bryant & Stratton] because I had injured my shoulder, and they didn't want to risk me getting more injured. So it feels really good to be able to play to my max ability again."

UP NEXT
MATC (9-10) will continue its homestead when it hosts South Suburban at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.