GAME #23 • Saturday, Feb. 4 • 2 p.m.
Western Michigan (6-16, 3-6 MAC) at Bowling Green (19-3, 9-0 MAC)
Location: Bowling Green, Ohio
Site: Stroh Center (4,347)
All-Time Series: WMU trails, 41-27
Radio: 1660 The Fan - Kory Lee (PBP)
THE TIP-OFF
Western Michigan (6-16, 3-6 MAC) snapped a six-game losing streak with a 102-92 win at home against Buffalo Thursday ... it was just the 16th time in school history and the first time 2003 WMU scored 100 points or more ... Bowling Green is the conference overall leader with a unblemished 9-0 record and is 19-3 on the season.
WESTERN MICHIGAN OVERVIEW
WMU is led by fourth-year head coach Tasha McDowell ... the Broncos roster 13 players - six returners, including two starters, as well as seven freshmen ... the Broncos average 63.7 ppg (68.9 MAC) and allow 71.5 ppg (74.9 MAC) against ... WMU is shooting 38.7 percent from the field ... redshirt senior Maria Iaquaniello is the team's leading scorer, averaging 13.4 ppg, ranking eighth in the MAC, she also ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage (54.2 %) ... Julia Henson is the second leading scorer, averaging 8.2 ppg and leads the MAC with 34 three-pointers during conference play.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons are coached by Curt Miller in his 11th season, however associate head coach Linda Roos is currently guiding the team after Miller took a leave of abscence to address health concerns ... BGSU has won six of the last seven MAC regular season titles and the last two MAC Tournament titles ... the team averages 67.2 ppg (67.3 MAC) and allows 54.9 ppg (56.2 MAC) against, while shooting 39.9 percent from the field ... three players average in double figures in Chrissy Steffan (14.1 ppg), Jessica Slagle(11.7) and Alexis Rogers (11.5) ... Rogers also leads the team with 8.0 rpg.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
This is the 69th meeting between Western Michigan and Bowling Green, with the Falcons leading the all-time series, 41-27 ... WMU handed BGSU one of only three conference losses last season, beating the Falcons in Kalamazoo, 66-55 ... WMU's last win in Bowling Green was Jan. 30, 2008, with a 79-73 victory at Anderson Arena.
AMONG NATION'S BEST
Entering the week, Maria Iaquaniello's 53.7 field-goal percentage not only ranked third best in the MAC, but among the top 25 in the nation, coming in 23rd ... freshman Julia Henson ranked fourth in the conference and 33rd in the nation in three-point percentage (38.7%).
LAST TIME OUT
Feb. 2, 2012, KALAMAZOO, Mich. - WMU 102, Buffalo 92
The Broncos gave up a 9-0 run to start off the game and trailed 43-39 at halftime, but came out with a vengeance in the second half, shooting 63.9 percent in the final 20 minutes. The trio of Julia Henson, Maria Iaquaniello and Aurielle Anderson did most of the damage, combining for 61 points. Iaquaniello finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, while Henson dialed in for seven three-pointers for a career-high 21 points. Anderson also had a career-high scoring night with 19 points, to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
THE JUICE IS LOOSE
Julia Henson's seven three's against Buffalo were just one shy of the school record eight made by Curletta Harris in 2002 and is the most by a MAC player in a game this season ... four other players in WMU history have made seven or more 3's in a game ... Henson became the only other Bronco than Iaquaniello to score 20-plus points in a game this season.
