KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's basketball team rings in the 2019 calendar year with the Mid-American Conference opener, traveling to Bowling Green State University for a contest with the Falcons on Saturday, Jan. 5. 

Saturday, Jan. 5 • 2:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio • Stroh Center (4,387)
Western Michigan Broncos (5-5, 0-0 MAC) at Bowing Green Falcons (7-4, 0-0 MAC)

Series Record: Bowling Green leads 35-32
Last Meeting: March 5, 2018 (WMU 85-71 in Kalamazoo, Mich., MAC Tournament First Round)

GAME NOTES: WESTERN MICHIGAN

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Radio • WQLR 1600 AM The Fan Flagship (Kalamazoo/Portage) - Kory Lee (PBP)
Watch Live: ESPN3 

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @WMU_WBB | FACEBOOK: @WMUWBB

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan closed out the 2018 calendar and its non-conference schedule with a 75-51 victory over Saginaw Valley State on Monday, Dec. 31 at University Arena. WMU's 75 points were a season-high while recording a season-best 28 field goals made. Four Broncos scored in double-digit figures, with Jasmyn Walker leading the way with a season-high 16 points. Deja Wimby followed with 13 points along with team-high six assists and five steals. Kamrin Reed and Maxine Moore each added 11 points.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest will mark the 68th all-time matchup between Western Michigan and Bowling Green, with the Falcons owning a 35-32 series advantage. However, the Broncos have won nine consecutive games against BGSU, with the last loss coming in 2014. Last season, WMU defeated Bowling Green three times, including an 85-71 victory in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at University Arena.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
The Broncos head into the MAC Opener having won four of their last five games, including three victories outside of their home court. Following the first road win of the year at Detroit Mercy (Dec. 9), WMU went 2-1 during its Florida trip (Dec. 16-21) while earning wins at Florida Atlantic and against Florida A&M in the Stetson Hatter Classic. WMU eclipsed the .500 mark with a New Year's Eve win over Saginaw Valley State to improve to 6-5 overall. Seniors Deja Wimby and Jasmyn Walker lead the Brown & Gold. Wimby paces WMU with 12.6 points per game while Walker leads the Broncos with an average of 6.5 rebounds a game.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Bowling Green, who was selected to finish fifth in the MAC East Preseason Poll, is off to a 7-4 start under Robyn Fralick, in her first season as head coach at BGSU. The Falcons closed out their non-conference slate with four-straight victories, most recently a 63-28 win over Davis & Elkins on Dec. 30. Bowling Green ranks atop of the MAC with 10.8 three-point field goals made per game, which also ranks sixth in Division I. Freshman guard Morgan McMillen leads the Falcons with an average of 17.1 points per game with 42 three-point field goals (2nd/MAC).

BRONCOS IN MAC OPENERS
Under Head Coach Shane Clipfell's tenure dating back to the 2012-13 season, Western Michigan has gone 4-2 in Mid-American Conference openers.

2012-13: vs. Eastern Michigan 56-52 L
2013-14: at Miami 88-78 W
2014-15: vs. Akron 67-61 W
2015-16: at Ohio 73-63 L
2016-17: vs. Akron 73-60 W
2017-18: vs. BGSU 67-58 W

LAST YEAR IN THE MAC
Last season, the Broncos 9-9 overall during Mid-American Conference, finishing third in the MAC West standings, the best finish since the 2014-15 season. WMU received the No. 6 seed in the MAC Tournament and upset No. 3 seeded Ball State prior to falling to No. 2 Buffalo in the semifinals.

CLIPFELL TIED FOR THIRD IN ALL-TIME IN WINS AT WMU
Head Coach Shane Clipfell, who recently eclipsed the 100-win mark versus Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 28), moved into a tie for third place in all-time coaching wins at WMU during the victory over Saginaw Valley State. His 104 career wins in his seventh season at the helm matches Jim Hess' (1982-90) career win total.

TAKE IT AWAY 
Western Michigan has forced its opponents to an average of 18.5 turnovers per game, forcing doubledigit turnover numbers in all 11 games. WMU forced a season-high 27 forced turnovers and 15 steals at FAU. The Broncos have totaled 91 steals, led by Deja Wimby's total of 34. Wimby's average of 3.8 steals per game is good for second-best in the MAC and ninth in the nation.

BALL SECURITY
The Brown & Gold have turned the ball over just 136 times through 11 games in 2018-19, which ranks as the fifth fewest in the NCAA in the best in the MAC. WMU had just five turnovers versus Saginaw Valley, which marked the fourth time this season the the Broncos were limited to under double-digit turnovers. Western Michigan's 12.4 turnovers per game also ranks as No. 1 in the MAC and is the ninth fewest in the nation.

FROM BEYOND THE ARC
The Broncos tallied back-to-back games with double-digit three-point field goals (11 vs. Florida A&M, 10 vs. Saginaw Valley State) for the first team in at least 14 years. WMU has recorded double-digit three-pointers in three games this season, which is already more than the previous two seasons combined.

WIMBY CLIMBS RECORD BOOK
Senior point guard Deja Wimby recently eclipsed 400 career assists while tallying three versus North Dakota at the Hatter Classic (12/20), becoming the eighth Bronco all-time to reach the 400-assist club. She currently ranks seventh all-time with 411 assists after passing Brooke Gallert (1998-2001) while notching six helpers versus Saginaw Valley State. Wimby is also just one steal away from 200 in her career. She ranks ninth at WMU with 199 career takeaways.