KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Senior point guard
Mike Douglas poured in a game-high 17 points to go with five rebounds and two assists, and the Western Michigan men's basketball team closed out their exhibition season with a 78-63 win over the Northwood Timberwolves at University Arena. The Broncos finish their exhibition schedule with a 2-0 record.
Despite the fact the Broncos stuck to a much tighter rotation than their opening exhibition game against Kalamazoo College, WMU received fairly balanced contributions. Four players finished the game in double-figures, including Douglas, whose 17 points paced the field.
The Broncos showed the willingness to try high-risk plays, most notably when Hutcheson lofted a long alley-oop pass to Whitfield, who crushed a two-handed dunk at the 17:19 mark of the second half. The Broncos were also sharp from three-point range; the team shot a collective 7-of 17 (41.2) from beyond the arc.
Overall, though, the Broncos showed commitment to the building blocks of the game. Driving to the hoop frequently, the Broncos shot 33 free throws, 15 more than the Timberwolves. WMU went 27-of-33 (81.8) from the charity stripe to make the difference in the game. The Broncos out-rebounded the Timberwolves 42 to 27.
As the Timberwolves tried to claw their way back into the game, though, the Broncos knuckled down. WMU went on an 11-6 run that kicked off with a three-pointer from David Brown, and included a pair of free throws each from Shayne Whittington and Austin Richie. The Broncos tied their biggest lead of the day with 3:44 remaining when Matt Stainbrook took a behind-the-back pass from Demetrius Ward in the paint and laid it in; that gave WMU an 18-point lead, at 74-56. Douglas score four points down the stretch to ice the win.
The Broncos started out somewhat slowly to begin the game, with the Timberwolves keeping the score close early on. Douglas kept things under control in the first half, though, finishing with 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including a 1-of-1 mark behind the three-point line. By the midpoint of the half, the Broncos began to pull away, taking off on an 11-2 run that was sparked by Matt Stainbrook's jumper at 11:17. Douglas provided the signature moment of the run, racing down the court for a fast break lay-up and drawing a foul for a three-point play.
The Timberwolves would pull to within six points, making it 27-21, but Brandon Pokley would spark a 14-2 for WMU to re-build the lead. Pokley scored six points in four possessions, going 4-of-4 from the free throw line and scoring on a layup. Freshmen Austin Richie and Hayden Hoerdemann would add three-pointers to give WMU a 39-23 lead heading into halftime.
Hutcheson finished with 11 points and tied with Whittington for the game-high in rebounds with eight. Hoerdemann finished with 11 points and two assists, going three-of-four from three-point range. Whitfield finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
