SAN JUAN, P.R. - The Western Michigan men's basketball team had their best start to a game this season, but they were unable to deny the Colorado Buffaloes 81-76 at the Coliseo de San Juan at the 5-Hour ENERGY Puerto Rico Tip-Off. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 0-4 on the season.

Sophomore center Matt Stainbrook posted a team-high 20 points and tied for the game-high with eight rebounds, while senior Demetrius Ward notched 16 points, eight assists, and no turnovers. Rebounds played a key part, as the Broncos were out-gained on the board 39-30, including 13 offensive rebounds for Colorado.

The Broncos stormed out of the gates to begin the game, opening the game on a 13-3 run that was capped by a pair of free throw makes from junior Nate Hutcheson. The Broncos held the Buffaloes to just one field goal in the first five minutes of the contest and looked to be in control defensively. The lead ballooned to 12 points when Hayden Hoerdemann banked a three-pointer off the glass to give WMU a 21-9 advantage with 11:36 remaining in the first.

Despite a five-minute drought of their own early in the first half, the Broncos never trailed in the half; after Austin Richie nailed a trey to make it 35-29, the Broncos went to the locker room with a four-point lead.

The dogfight began in the second half, when the Buffaloes took a one-point lead for the first time in the game a minute in from half. The Broncos would retake the lead at the 10:06 mark when Stainbrook hit the first three-point shot of his career to give WMU a 54-52 lead, and Richie followed that with a three of his own to make it 57-52.

The Broncos would hold the lead for the next five minutes before CU's Carlon Brown scored on a lay-up with 4:19 remaining. Forced to play catch-up the rest of the way, the Broncos pulled to within three points with nine seconds remaining, but the Buffaloes hit a pair of free throws and set the game out of reach.

The Broncos will next be in action on Wednesday, Nov. 23, when they travel to take on Purdue.