THE MATCHUP
Western Michigan Broncos (10-15, 6-7 MAC)
vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles (13-13, 5-8 MAC)
Feb. 18, 2017 • 4 p.m. • University Arena (5,421)

Series Record: WMU leads, 59-52
Last Meeting: 86-80, EMU (1/17/17, in Ypsilanti)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio • Bronco Radio Network - Robin Hook PBP (Pre-game show begins at 6:30 p.m. ET)
Stations • WZOX — 96.5 FM: (Flagship) Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan; WMAX — 96.1 FM: Holland, Muskegon; WMAX — 96.1 FM: WTKG 1230 AM: Grand Rapids
TV/Stream: ESPN3
Talent: Mike Monaco (PBP), Brian Snider (Analyst)
Twitter Updates: @WMUMBB

DOUBLE YOUR FUN
Saturday will be a doubleheader as the Western Michigan women also host Eastern Michigan, taking the court prior to the men's contest at 1 p.m. It will be the annual Pink / Play for Kay game for the WMU women and fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of cancer awareness. Fans can also make it a 2-for-1 special by redeeming a women's ticket stub vs. EMU at halftime for an upper level ticket to the men's contest.

BRONCOS ON THE UP SWING
After starting Mid-American Conference play with a 2-6 record, the Broncos have won four of their last five, including the last three games in a row. With a 6-7 conference, 10-15 overall record, the Broncos are just one game out of first place in the MAC West division.

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
> Junior point guard Thomas Wilder is averaging a team-best 19.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg while senior Tucker Haymond is averaging 14.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg. The two have 161 assists combined. Freshman guard Reggie Jones (9.6 ppg),  freshman post Brandon Johnson (7.8) and junior center Drake LaMont (7.3) are all averaging over seven points per game. Seth Dugan is the team's leading rebounder with 5.4 rpg followed by Johnson at 5.2 rpg.

> The Broncos are averaging 76.1 ppg this season and allowing 78.2 ppg defensively. WMU is shooting 45.2 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from three and 70.9 percent from the free-throw line.

WMU DOWNS NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Junior Thomas Wilder scored a career-high 38 points, including 31 in the second half, and senior Tucker Haymond registered his third career double-double as Western Michigan rolled to an 89-79 victory over visiting Bowling Green this past Tuesday. Haymond totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds. Wilder was a perfect 15-for-15 from the free-throw line. As a team, WMU went 31-for-37 at the stripe.

SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is led by sixth-year head coach Rob Murphy and enters the game with a 13-13, 5-8 MAC record. After starting the MAC season with a 4-1 record, the Eagles have gone 1-7 over the last eight games and have dropped their last five in a row. EMU is 4-8 on the road this season.

> Four players average double figures for EMU. Willie Mangum leads the team with 16.0 ppg. Preseason All-West pick James Thompson is putting up a double-double with 14.4 ppg and 11.0 rpg. The Eagles are averaging 78.1 ppg this season and allowing 78.5 ppg defensively. EMU is shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 33.4 percent from three and 73.8 percent from the free-throw line.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE EAGLES
This will be the 112th meeting between the Broncos and the Eagles, with WMU owning a 59-52 advantage in the all-time series with Eastern Michigan. WMU and EMU split last year, each team winning on its home floor. WMU won in Kalamazoo on Jan. 30, 94-86, EMU took the meeting in Ypsilanti on Feb. 24, 73-62. The Eagles won the first meeting this season on Jan. 17 in Ypsilanti, 86-80.

> WMU is 29-14 all-time against EMU at home. The Broncos are 21-9 against Eastern Michigan under head coach Steve Hawkins.

A LOOK BACK AT THE FIRST MEETING
WMU fell to Eastern Michigan in the first meeting this season on Jan. 17 in Ypsilanti, 86-80. 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.

Willie Magnum gave the Eagles momentum with back-to-back three's EMU's run. Magnum scored all 15 of his points in the game in the second half. 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. Thompson added 11 rebounds for a double-double. Freshman Reggie Jones hit four 3-pointers and was WMU's next highest scorer with 17 points.