Women's Basketball | November 19, 2019

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's basketball team continues its three-game home stretch on Wednesday, Nov. 20, hosting the University of Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m. inside University Arena. 

Wednesday, Nov. 20 • 7 p.m. • Kalamazoo, Mich. • University Arena (5,421)
Detroit Mercy Titans (0-4, 0-0 Horizon) vs. Western Michigan Broncos (1-1, 0-0 MAC)

Series Record: WMU leads 19-14
Last Meeting: Dec. 9, 2018  (Western Michigan won 54-44 in Detroit, Mich.)

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Radio | WQLR 1660 AM The Fan Flagship (Kalamazoo/Portage) - Aaron Coyle (PBP) | Watch Live: ESPN3 (Evan Stockton – PBP, Bryan Applin – Color, Sam Mattlin - Sideline)

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

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos opened their 2019-20 home slate with an 80-41 victory over Kentucky State on Thursday (Nov. 14) inside University Arena. Three of the five starters for the Brown & Gold scored in double digits as Jordan Walker led the team with a game-high 19 points. Breanna Mobley notched a double-double with 13 points and a team-high 13 rebounds. Senior Kamrin Reed scored 14 points, all coming in the first quarter of play, off of 5-for-10 shooting from the field and 3-for-8 from behind the arc. Sydney Shafer also brought in a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's game will mark the 33rd all-time matchup between Western Michigan and Detroit Mercy, with the Broncos holding a 19-14 series advantage. The Broncos have come out victorious in the last six meetings, most recently in 2018 with a 54-44 win in Detroit, Mich. During meetings in Kalamazoo, the Broncos own a, 11-5 series advantage.

SCOUTING THE TITANS
Detroit Mercy enters their fifth season under Head Coach Bernard Scott and are coming off a 75-62 road loss at George Mason on Saturday to bring their record to 0-4 on the season. Sophomore forward Nicole Johanson led the team with 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the contest, notching her first career double-double along the way. The Titans welcome back two starters and have brought in five freshmen and a trio of Division I transfers set to play this season. They were picked to finish ninth in the 2019-20 Horizon League Preseason Poll, ahead of UIC with 19 points total.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Both returning from being redshirted in the 2018-19 season, senior Breanna Mobley notched her 31st double-double and sophomore Jordan Walker spent her second straight game as the Bronco's leading scorer in the contest against Kentucky State. A MAC Preseason Team honoree, Mobley joined the 1,000-point club in 2018 and finished her previous season with 11 double-doubles, having scored in double figures in 27 games, including 24 consecutive. Walker made 23 starts in 2017-18 and finished second on the team in total assists (66) and steals (53). 

2018-19 RECAP
Last season the Broncos finished 10-20 overall and 4-14 in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos finished fifth in the MAC West Division and ended their season in the first round of the MAC Tournament, losing a hard-fought battle to Northern Illinois, 70-69. WMU opened the conference season with an 84-82 win over Bowling Green before snapping a seven-game losing streak with their 71-68 win against Eastern Michigan in February. The Brown & Gold averaged 61.8 points per game, 32.4 rebounds per game and 12.0 assists per game with returners Leighah-Amori Wool and Kamrin Reed among the top scorers.

WMU INKS TWO TO NLI'S                                                                                                               
The Broncos announced on Wednesday (Nov. 13) the signing of two incoming freshmen for the 2020-21 season to NLI's, including guard Megan Wagner (Mason, OH / Mason High School) and guard Hannah Spitzley (Pewamo, Mich. / Pewamo-Westphalia). Wagner twice earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and was Mason's Principle Award recipient for three consecutive seasons. Last season, she was named a First Team All-GMC and All-State honorable mention, and came four assists short of setting a new school record. Spitzley led Pewamo-Westphalia to their first state championship last season, earning honors along the way as Detroit Free Press First Team All-State, LSU Dream Team All-State, and AP Division 3 Player of the Year, to name a few of many accolades. She is a three-time LSJ Athlete of the Week and earned Player of the Year honors from the Ionia Sentinel and Lansing State Journal in 2018-19.

2019-20 SCHEDULE
The Broncos conclude a trio of games at University Arena with the UDM matchup followed by Florida Atlantic University on Nov. 24. Additionally, the Broncos will compete in two tournaments this season. The team travels to El Paso, Texas, for the annual UTEP Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 27 to take on the University of Texas-El Paso and New Mexico State. WMU faces Denver on Dec. 21 and Stony Brook on Dec. 22 in San Juan for the Puerto Rico Clasico.