Men's Basketball | December 06, 2016

THE MATCHUP
Western Michigan Broncos (2-5, 0-0 MAC)
vs. Cleveland State Vikings (2-5, 0-0 Horizon League)
Dec. 7, 2016 • 7 p.m. • Cleveland, Ohio - Quicken Loans Arena

Series Record: WMU leads. 3-2
Last Meeting: 86-57, CSU (3/18/15, Kalamazoo, Mich. - CollegeInsider.com Tournament first round)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio • Bronco Radio Network - Robin Hook PBP (Pre-game show begins at 6:30 p.m. ET)
Stations • WZOX — 96.5 FM: (Flagship) Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan; WMAX — 96.1 FM: Holland, Muskegon; WMAX — 96.1 FM: WTKG 1230 AM: Grand Rapids
Twitter Updates: @WMUMBB

THE TIP-OFF
Western Michigan travels to Cleveland, Ohio for the eighth game of the season, facing Horizon League opponent Cleveland State at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The matchup up will be the Broncos' first in a week after falling short last Wednesday at home against two-time defending Colonial Athletic Association champion UNCW, 97-92, at University Arena. Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, WMU is no stranger to Quicken Loans Arena, as the venue hosts the yearly Mid-American Conference Tournament in March.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Western Michigan is off to a 2-5 start to the season and has posted home wins over Marygrove (90-74) and Central Arkansas (80-63). Four players are scoring in double figures, led by junior point guard Thomas Wilder's 16.1 ppg. Senior Tucker Haymond is averaging 14.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg and has a team-high 33 assists. Junior center Drake LaMont and freshman post Brandon Johnson are each averaging 10.1 ppg. Johnson is the team's leading rebounder with 7.7 rpg and has three double-doubles this season. The Broncos are averaging 76.0 ppg this season and allowing 80.4 ppg defensively. WMU is shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from three and 67.4 percent from the free-throw line.

SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
Cleveland State is coached by head coach Gary Waters who enters his 11th season at CSU. Waters owns a 187-155 (0.547) career record at the helm. CSU returns seven letterwinners including three starters from last year's squad. This season, the Vikings welcome Oral Roberts transfer Bobby Word and seven newcomers giving them a balance of youth and experience on the court. Cleveland State posted a 9-23 overall record and 4-14 mark in Horizon League play in the 2015-16 season.  

Cleveland State (2-5) enters Wednesday's matchup after picking up its second win of the season defeating Bethune-Cookman, 73-62, at home on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Vikings were led by their lone senior, Demonte Flannigan, with a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds. Three players are averaging double figures on the season for the Vikings. Sophomore 6-4 guard Rob Edwards is averaging a team-best 16.1 ppg.

SERIES HISTORY VS. CSU
This will be the sixth all-time meeting between WMU and CSU, with the Broncos owning a 3-2 record. The first four meetings between the two programs were in the 1970's ans the teams did not meet again until 2015. WMU took the first all-time meeting, 88-79, on Jan. 6, 1971 at University Arena. In 2015, Western Michigan and Cleveland State were paired against one another in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament on March 18, a game hosted at University Arena. Cleveland State won the contest, 86-57.

WHAT LIES AHEAD
Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo to host James Madison on Saturday, Dec. 10. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Broncos then head west to play a pair of PAC 12 opponents, first stopping in senior Tucker Haymond's hometown of Seattle, Wash., to take on University of Washington, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET. WMU then heads to Los Angeles, facing UCLA at 11 p.m. ET on Dec. 21.