BOX SCORE

QUOTES

KALAMAZOO - The Western Michigan (2-5) men's basketball team was defeated by the IUPUI Jaguars (4-2), 76-68, Saturday afternoon in front of 2,574 fans at University Arena. David Kool, Shawntes Gary, and Martelle McLemore all contributed 15 points in the loss.

Senior Derek Drews added nine points and five rebounds, while junior Donald Lawson chipped in seven points and two steals.

The Broncos fought back from a 19-point deficit, 63-44, mid-way through the second half with a 14-0 run, but were left helpless when they were forced to foul and put IUPUI on the free throw line. The Jaguars made seven their last eight free throws in the final minute of the game.

As a team, the Broncos' field goal percentage was 40.7% compared to 54.9% by the Jaguars. In the second half, IUPUI shot 16-of-22 (72.7%) from the floor and went a perfect six-of-six from three-point land.

The Broncos got down early, 6-2, before six straight points from Kool and a three-point play by Gary that ignited an 11-0 run to give WMU a 13-6 lead at the 16 minute mark in the first half.

The Jaguars responded right back with a 13-2 run of their own, and a three-pointer from Gary Patterson with three minutes left gave IUPUI its largest lead of the half, 26-18, and it seemed the Jaguars had the Broncos on the ropes.

But two McLemore three-pointers in the final two and a half minutes of the half, including one from beyond the arch as the clock expired, cut the Jaguar lead to just four points, 28-24, at halftime.

The story of the first half was the Broncos' struggle to find consistency from the field. WMU started the game 5-of-8 from the field, but made just three of its next 18 field goals to finish with a 34% field goal percentage in the first half.

In the midst of the late Bronco comeback, senior Michael Redell hit a three-pointer with just under two minutes remaining in the game to cut the Jaguar lead to nine points, 66-57, which was the first time the Broncos has been within ten points in almost 13 minutes. The teams exchanged free throws before Kool hit a three-pointer with 14 seconds left to bring the Broncos within four points, 72-68, but IUPUI sank its final four free throws to end the game.

IUPUI senior Gary Patterson scored a game-high 16 points and added eight assists in his season debut.

The Broncos will face VCU in Richmond, Va. Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard on The Bronco Radio Network (FM 92.5 WZUU).