The Madison Panthers's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their fourth straight loss. They were beaten by Columbia Independent 55-24. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat Madison has suffered since December 5, 2023.
Among those leading the charge was Eric Dirksmeyer, who scored 20 points along with eight rebounds and two blocks. That's the first time this season that he scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Gabe Martin, who scored ten points along with five assists and two steals.
Madison has been struggling recently, as they've lost five of their last six matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-10 record this season. As for Columbia Independent, the win (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 5-5.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Madison will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Glasgow on Monday. Glasgow presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Madison in Missouri (Glasgow is ranked 182nd, while Madison is ranked 538th). As for Columbia Independent, they will be playing in front of their home fans against La Monte at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
