Women's Basketball | January 03, 2020

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's basketball team opens the 2020 calendar year and Mid-American Conference play against Toledo on Saturday, Jan. 4 inside University Arena at 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 4 • 2:00 p.m. • Kalamazoo, Mich. • University Arena (5,421)
Western Michigan Broncos (7-4, 0-0 MAC) vs. University of Toledo Rockets (5-6, 0-0 MAC)

Series Record: WMU trails 21-59
University Arena: WMU trails 12-24
Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2019 – Toledo, Ohio – WMU 63, Toledo 73

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Radio • WQLR 1600 AM The Fan Flagship (Kalamazoo/Portage) – Aaron Coyle PBP
Watch Live: ESPN3 (Conor Clingen – PBP, Austin Richie – Color, Sam Mattlin, sideline)

GET YOUR TICKETS
Make sure to join us for Bronco basketball this season inside University Arena! Single-game women's tickets start at just $6. This Saturday, a purchased ticket for the women's basketball game can be redeemed for a free upper level ticket for the men's game at 4:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Bronco Ticket Office, online at wmubroncos.com/tickets or by calling 1-888-4-WMU-Tix.

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

LAST TIME OUT
The Western Michigan women's basketball team closed out the 2019 portion of the season and its non-conference schedule with a 70-60 victory over Loyola University Chicago. The Ramblers previously held a 9-1 record on the season with their sole loss coming against No. 16 DePaul. The Broncos held Loyola to its lowest-scoring game of the season and largest losing margin since March 2019.

Redshirt sophomore Jordan Walker was the leading scorer Monday evening with 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals.  Redshirt senior Breanna Mobley earned her 38th career double-double, eighth of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds, one shy of a season-high. Junior Leighah-Amori Wool tallied ten points with a team-high five assists. As a team, the Broncos notched 35 rebounds, four blocks, and nine steals with 18 points scored off Loyola turnovers. WMU went 24-for-59 from the field and shot 68.4 percent from the charity stripe, staying strong on defense with just ten turnovers to Loyola's 15.
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
WMU heads into conference play coming off a big win against previously 9-1 Loyola Chicago. The Broncos return to University Arena after a three-game road stretch including a trip to San Juan for the Puerto Rico Classic. WMU prevailed over Denver but struggled against Stony Brook in a close battle to go 1-1 at the tournament. Jordan Walker leads the team in scoring (fifth in the MAC), averaging 16.2 points per game. Breanna Mobley averages a double-double this season with 13.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, a continuous conference best.
 
THE MATCHUP
The Broncos enter MAC play with a 21-59 record against their first opponent Toledo. Their last meeting was late into the conference season last February, when WMU lost to the Rockets in Toledo, 73-63. Then-senior Deja Wimby put up a season-high 24 points in the contest, but the Broncos were unable to keep up with Toledo's 52.7 percent shooting thanks to a strong showing by senior Mikaela Boyd.
 
WMU IN MAC OPENERS
Under Head Coach Shane Clipfell's tenure dating back to the 2012-13 season, Western Michigan has gone 5-2 in Mid-American Conference openers. Last season, the Broncos prevailed over Bowling Green 84-82 on their opponent's home court on January 5, 2019. Kamrin Reed led WMU in the contest with 17 points to add to the team's highest-scoring game of the season thus far.

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                                                                                                          
2018-19: vs. BGSU 84-82 W

LAST YEAR IN THE MAC
Last season, the Broncos finished 4-14 overall during Mid-American Conference play, finishing fifth in the MAC West standings. They 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 Broncos averaged 61.8 points per game, 32.4 rebounds per game and 12.0 assists per game. 

COUNTDOWN TO 1000
Senior Breanna Mobley has the chance to hit a unique Bronco milestone this season. She currently holds second place in the individual career records for rebounds with 923 and counting, and became a member of the 1,000-point club against Miami on Jan. 20, 2018. If she tallies at least 1,000 rebounds this season she will become the second ever Bronco to reach both 1,000 points and rebounds, alongside former WMU player and coach Pat Charity, who hit the milestone in the 1977-78 season.

SCORING MACHINE
Jordan Walker continues to dominate the Bronco scoresheet, averaging 16.2 points per contest. She currently holds the fifth-highest scoring average in the conference and is in the top 150 of points per game in the NCAA.                                                          

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
Breanna Mobley is averaging a double-double this season with 13.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. She ranks 16^th in the MAC in scoring and has held the leading rebounder spot since November 26.