KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team sent their seniors off in style in front of a packed house at University Arena, defeating the conference-leading Central Michigan Chippewas 74-62 to improve to 19-12 on the season and 10-8 in Mid-American Conference play. The Broncos secured the sixth seed in the upcoming MAC Tournament and will host the 11th-seeded Ohio Bobcats at University Arena on Monday, March 9, with tip-off scheduled for either 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.
The Broncos were with their full complement of players for the first time since Feb. 18 against Ohio and for just the third time since Jan. 21 against Miami, and WMU certainly looked more like the team that started out the MAC schedule on fire in dismantling the Chippewas. WMU allowed Central Michigan to lead just once, when the Chippewas held a 3-2 lead 1:41 into the game, and the Bronco lead reached as many as 18 points in the game. CMU never cut the lead to fewer than two possessions, getting as close as six points with 12:51 remaining in the second half.
Tucker Haymond came off the bench for his first game action since Feb. 18 and provided a team-high 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting in 21 minutes of action. Connar Tava posted his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Austin Richie provided a flourish in his final regular season game at home with 15 points and four assists. Drake LaMont provided some punch in the paint as well, scoring 11 points in 18 minutes of action.
WMU jumped all over the Chippewas to start the game, opening on a 9-3 run that was punctuated by a hook shot from Tava at the 16:19 mark. David Brown drilled a three-pointer from the right wing to make it 18-10 with 11:04 remaining, and Tava gave the Broncos their first double-digit advantage of the night when Richie found him streaking down the court in transition for a fast break bucket to make it 24-14.
The Broncos continued to pour on, with Haymond going on a personal 5-0 run to make it 37-21 with 2:31 left to go in the half. The largest lead of the game came with 38 seconds remaining when LaMont pulled down an offensive board and kicked it out to Richie, who drove the lane and finished to make it an 18-point advantage. Chris Fowler tacked on a free throw at the end of the half, but the Broncos entered the break with a 39-22 advantage.
The lead dipped into the single digits midway through the second half when Rayshawn Simmons made it 44-38 with a runner in the paint, but Haymond was to the rescue with baskets on three straight possessions, making it 53-42 with a three-pointer from the deep left wing. Richie contributed a trey from the head of the key to make it 56-46 and the Chippewas never again pulled within fewer than three possessions. Haymond made it 71-58 with 1:15 to play and the Broncos cruised down the stretch, winning handily.
