THE MATCHUP
Western Michigan (4-4)
at Michigan State (4-2)
 
Series Record – MSU leads 18-11
Date / Time – Dec. 3, 12:30 p.m.
Location – East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
Watch Live – Big Ten Plus
Radio – 1660 AM The Fan, Aaron Coyle
Live Stats – msuspartans.com
Twitter Updates - @WMU_WBB
 
SNEAK PEAK AT THE BRONCOS
After a quick pit stop at home, the Broncos (4-4) travel to Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 12:30 p.m., facing their third Big Ten opponent in 15 days. Western Michigan rides a two-game winning streak into the Breslin after defeating Olivet College, 86-37, on Thursday, Nov. 30 for its home opener.
 
Under WMU head coach Shane Clipfell, the Broncos are now 6-0 in home openers and 44-30 at University Arena. Junior Breanna Mobley led all players with 19 points and 10 rebounds as the forward recorded her third double-double of the season. As a team the Broncos dished out a season-high 25 total assists, led by junior guard Deja Wimby's game-high five assists. Defensively WMU forced Olivet to turn the ball over 23 times leading to 24 points off turnovers. After Sunday's contest, the Broncos return to Kalamazoo for a three-game home stand against Detroit (12/8), Kentucky State (12/15) and begin Mid-American Conference play against Bowling Green (12/30).
 
FAMILIAR FACES
The Western Michigan coaching staff has many ties to Michigan State, as head coach Shane Clipfell was with the current MSU head coach Suzy Merchant for over 14 years. He began with Merchant as an assistant at Eastern Michigan during the 1998-99 season and coached alongside her at Michigan State for five years after Merchant took the Spartan helm in 2007-08. For the final three years, Clipfell served as the associate head coach at Michigan State. Bronco assistant coach Cetera Washington played four years of basketball and coached for two with the Spartans, where she helped the team make three NCAA Tournament appearances as a player and two more as a coach.
 
BREAKING RECORDS
With the dominating 86-37 performance against Olivet College on Thursday, Nov. 30, the Broncos notched their highest margin of victory and allowed the fewest points in the Shane Clipfell era. The 49-point margin of victory is the third largest in WMU program history and the largest dating back to the 2003-04 season when the Broncos defeated Utah State by 51 points at home under head coach Ron Stewart. The last time a Bronco squad gave up 37 points or fewer occurred during the 2011-12 season under head coach Tasha McDowell as WMU defeated Southeast Missouri State, 67-34.
 
WHERE WE STAND IN THE NATION
The Broncos are making national attention ranked in several categories during the 2017-18 season. As a squad, WMU is ranked 32nd overall and second in the Mid-American Conference in total assists with 124. Junior guard Deja Wimby plays a key factor in the category as she is ranked 37th nationally with 41 assists and boasts 5.1 assists per game. On the boards, the Broncos have grabbed 327 total rebounds which is good for 26th in the nation and first in the conference while junior forward Breanna Mobley ranks 42nd in the country in total rebounds (69) and 33rd overall with three double-doubles this season.
 
ROOKIE SEASON
In her first season in a Bronco uniform, former Michigan Miss Basketball Jordan Walker has made a big impact for WMU appearing in all eight games and starting in the last three. The Muskegon, Mich. native leads the team with 14 steals and averages 7.6 points and 3.5 rebounds, shooting 36 percent from the field. Walker drained a career-high four three-pointers against East Tennessee State on Sunday, Nov. 25 to notch a career-high 16 points to go along with a career-high seven rebounds and five assists.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE
The low post unit made up of redshirt senior Marley Hill and junior Breanna Mobley have been trouble for opponents in the first eight games of the season. Hill recorded her third career double-double off a game-high 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds at New Mexico State back on Nov. 12 while Mobley has notched three double-doubles this season including just recently against Olivet College on Thursday, Nov. 30. In the Broncos' home opener, Mobley poured in a game-high 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Together the two average an impressive 26.9 points and 14.5 rebounds in eight games.
 
THE MATCHUP
The Spartans have owned the matchup in recent history, leading the all-time series 18-11 and have won eight straight games. The Broncos are 4-7 against MSU when playing in East Lansing. In last season's matchup Western Michigan nearly upset No. 21 ranked Michigan State at University Arena, taking the Spartans into overtime before falling 68-64.
 
SPARTANS SCOUTING REPORT
The Spartans, who are coached by 10th year head coach Suzy Merchant, come into the game receiving votes for the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. They boast a record of 4-2 including a perfect 3-0 record at home. The Spartans are led by freshman forward Sydney Cooks, who averages 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Two other players average double figures while Taryn McCutcheon and Shay Colley have dished out 51 of the team's 116 total assists. The Spartans have outscored their opponents by 21.8 points but are riding a two-game losing streak into Sunday's contest. The losses have come from No. 1 UConn and Miami.