Women's Basketball | November 07, 2019

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's basketball team officially opens its 2019-20 campaign on Friday, November 8, traveling to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines.

Friday, Nov. 8 • 7:00 p.m. • Ann Arbor, Mich. • Crisler Center (12,707)
Michigan Wolverines (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. Western Michigan Broncos (0-0, 0-0 MAC)

Series Record: Michigan leads 17-16
Last Meeting: (79-42 Michigan)

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Radio • WQLR 1660 AM The Fan Flagship (Kalamazoo/Portage) - Aaron Coyle (PBP)
Watch Live: BTN+

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


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.

WELCOME BACK
The Broncos return seven letterwinners including three players back from being redshirted in the 2018-19 season- senior Breanna Mobley, sophomore Jordan Walker, and sophmore Kia Brooks. Mobley was named to the MAC Honorable Mention Team, finishing the season with 11 double-doubles and having scored in double figures in 27 games, including 24 consecutive. She also joined the 1,000 point club on March 3, 2018 in the game against Northern Illinois.

NEW FACES
A total of four freshmen will make their first appearances for the Broncos this season, with Aniya Walker (Pittsburgh, Penn. / Ambridge Area), Sydney Shafer (Jackson, Mich. / Northwest), Ashley Konkle (Aurora, Ill. / Benet Academy) and Taylor WIlliams (New Baltimore, Mich. / Dakota). Walker was ranked among the top 50 in the city of Pittsburgh and top 20 in Beaver County her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. Shafer is a two-time all-conference honoree, a two-time Team MVP and earned First Team All-State honors by Associated Press and The Detroit News, and holds the all-time scoring record at her high school. Konkle was ranked 17th in the state of Illinois in 2018, while Williams was ranked within the top 15 players in Detroit and top 50 in the state of Michigan by MLive. In addition, the Broncos added graduate transfer Chelayne Bailey to their ranks. Bailey spent three seasons at Syracuse, playing in 55 games and totaling 40 assists, 25 rebounds and 12 steals.

2019-20 SCHEDULE
After their trip to Ann Arbor, the Broncos host a trio of games at University Arena, facing Kentucky State on November 14, Detroit Mercy on Nov. 20 and Florida Atlantic University on Nov. 24. The Broncos have 11 non-conference games on the schedule, including matchups against neighbor-state rivals Loyola and Chicago State. 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 at the Puerto Rico Clasico in San Juan.

THE MATCHUP
Friday's game marks the 34th all-time matchup between Western Michigan and Michigan, with the Wolverines holding a 17-16 advantage over a series that dates back to 1968. The two teams last faced each other at home last season, with the Wolverines defeating the Broncos 79-42 at University Arena on Nov. 15, 2018. Senior Kamrin Reed led Western Michigan in that meeting with a career-high 18-point performance, shooting seven-for-12 from the field and three-for-six from three-point range.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCOUTING REPORT
The Wolverines made their way into the first AP Top 25 women's basketball poll of the season in the number 25 spot, and sit tied for 24^th in the Coaches Poll. The Wolverines finished last season 22-12 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten, good for a fourth-place finish in the league and their third-most wins in program history. The Wolverines appeared in the 2019 NCAA Tournament as the eighth seed, making it to the second round before losing to top-seed Louisville. Michigan is predicted to finish second in the Big Ten Conference and had sophomore returner Naz Hillmon named to the preseason All-Big Ten team after leading the team last year in scoring (13.1 ppg), rebounding (7.0 rpg), and field goal percentage (.628).