Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -- Andrew Hershberger was the lone Western Michigan player in double figures as the Broncos struggled from the field in a 64-47 road loss to Illinois State Saturday afternoon in front of 3,980 at Redbird Arena. The Broncos (1-2) shot only 31.4 percent from the field and turned the ball over 17 times in dropping their second straight game.
The Redbirds (2-1) hit the first basket of the game and never trailed in knocking off the Broncos in the first meeting between the two teams since 1967. WMU tied the score at two and four before a 4-0 run gave Illinois State an 8-4 lead. The Broncos cut the lead to one, 8-7, on a Stane's Bufford three-pointer with 14:20 remaining in the first half, but Illinois State went on a 9-0 run to take a 10-point lead, 17-7, with 9:56 left.
Western Michigan scored the next three points to pull within seven, but that was as close as the team would get the rest of the way. The Redbirds built the lead to 15 in the first half and led by 14, 34-20, at intermission. Western Michigan turned the ball over 12 times in the first half and Illinois State shot 50 percent from the field (15-of-30).
Illinois State cooled off in the second half in hitting just 6-of-20 shots, but it hit 17-off-22 free throws in the second half after not attempting one in the first half. Western Michigan pulled within 10 points on four occassions, the final time with 10:54 remaining (47-37), but ISU continuely had the answer and the Broncos misfired from the field hitting only 26.7 percent of their shots (8-of-30) in the second half.
Hershberger had eight rebounds to go with his 11 points while Bufford and Joe Reitz each had nine points. Reitz also pulled down nine boards. Brian Snider had seven points, six assists and four rebounds for Western Michigan.
Neil Plank led Illinois State with 16 points, 15 in the first half, and Khalif Ford added 11.
Western Michigan has the next week off before heading to Calihan Hall in Detroit for the 26th meeting between the Broncos and the Titans at 4:05 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3.
