THE MATCHUP
Western Michigan Broncos (6-11, 2-3 MAC)
at Buffalo Bulls (8-10, 2-3 MAC)
Jan. 21, 2017 • 2:30 p.m. • Alumni Arena (6,783)

Series Record: WMU leads, 13-10
Last Meeting:  1/23/16; in Kalamazoo; WMU, 91-71

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio • Bronco Radio Network - Aaron Coyle - PBP (Pre-game show begins half hour before tip)
Stations • WZOX — 96.5 FM: (Flagship) Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan; WMAX — 96.1 FM: Holland, Muskegon; WMAX — 96.1 FM: WTKG 1230 AM: Grand Rapids
Watch Live: ESPN3
Twitter Updates: @WMUMBB

THE TIP-OFF
Western Michigan and Buffalo meet this Saturday in the sixth game of Mid-American Conference play. Both teams own a 2-3 record entering the meeting. Tip-off in New York is set for 2:30 p.m.

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan maintains a 6-10 overall record, with all six wins coming at home - vs. Marygrove (90-74), Central Arkansas (80-63), James Madison (74-67), Alabama A&M (80-50), Toledo (90-74) and Kent State (92-88).

> Junior point guard Thomas Wilder is averaging a team-best 17.5 ppg and 4.1 rpg while senior Tucker Haymond is averaging 14.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg. The two have 115 assists combined. Freshman guard Reggie Jones (9.2), freshman post Brandon Johnson (8.2 ppg) and junior center Drake LaMont (8.0) are each averaging at least eight points per game. Johnson is the team's leading rebounder with 5.5 rpg and has three double-doubles this season.

> The Broncos are averaging 75.4 ppg this season and allowing 78.9 ppg defensively. WMU is shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from three and 68.2 percent from the free-throw line.

LAST YEAR'S MEETING
Western Michigan handed eventual MAC Tournament champion Buffalo its worst loss of the conference season, beating the Bulls by 20 (91-71) in  Kalamazoo on Jan. 23, 2016. Tucker Haymond led the Broncos with 27 points. shooting 64.3 percent from the field. In the game, he had a put-back dunk against that was featured as one of ESPN's top college plays of the day. Thomas Wilder (20) and Bryce Moore (15) also scored in double figures while WMU shot 61.9 percent as a team from behind the arc.  

SCOUTING BUFFALO
Buffalo, who is coached by second year head coach Nate Oats, enters Saturday's contest 8-10 overall, 2-3 in the Mid-American Conference and is coming off an 82-69 win over Kent State on the road. UB's other MAC win was at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 7, 77-68. THe Bulls have losses to Toledo, Ohio and Ball State.

> Four players average double-figures in points led by senior guard Blake Hamilton's 16.3 ppg. Sophomore forward Nick Perkins leads all players, grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game this season. The Bulls, who rank second in the MAC in rebounding, have proven to be tough on the glass averaging 41.0 rebounds per game this season.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 24th meeting between the Broncos and the Bulls, with WMU owning a 13-10 advantage in the all-time series. WMU is 8-9 all-time against Buffalo under head coach Steve Hawkins.  

WILDER AMONG MAC LEADERS
WMU junior point guard Thomas Wilder has scored in double figures in 16 of 17 games this season and has five 20-plus point outings. Wilder's 17.5 ppg ranks sixth in the Mid-American Conference. He leads the MAC in 3-point percentage (47.8%), is 14th in steals (1.4 spg), ninth in assists (3.8 apg) and eighth in FT percentage (80.2).

HAYMOND JOINS THE 1,000-500 CLUB
Last game at Eastern Michigan, senior Tucker Haymond recorded 11 points and seven rebounds, giving him 500-plus rebounds for his career. He entered the game with 494 rebounds. Haymond recorded his 1,000th career point last season against Eastern Michigan on Feb. 23, 2016. Haymond is now one of 18 from WMU's 40 members of the Broncos' 1,000-point club to also record 500-plus rebounds in a career.

BRONCOS FALL SHORT AT EMU
he Western Michigan men's basketball team dropped an 86-80 decision at Eastern Michigan Tuesday night, snapping the Broncos' two-game winning streak. The Broncos led 33-28 at halftime, but Eastern Michigan was able to get hot in the second half after WMU's point guard Thomas Wilder picked up his third foul. The game was tied 42-42 with 15:42 remaining when Wilder went to the bench and EMU managed to build a 10-point lead when he was on the bench. Wilder scored 13 points in each half for Western Michigan, tying Eastern Michigan's James Thompson IV for a game-high 26 points. Wilder also had seven assists. Freshman Reggie Jones hit four 3-pointers and was WMU's next highest scorer with 17 points. Facing Eastern Michigan's patented 2-3 zone, Western Michigan was forced to take 26 of its 54 shots from behind the arc. The Broncos connected on half of those, hitting a season-high 13 three's as a team.