INDIANAPOLIS –  In its 2020-21 season opener on the road the Western Michigan men's basketball team hung tough with Big East Conference Opponent Butler in a 66-62 loss on Wednesday night inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.

"Tough game tonight against a tough Butler team. We are proud of our team's effort and competitive spirit. We can and will learn from tonight," said head coach Clayton Bates. "We asked each other to cherish the opportunity to compete together tonight. There were a lot of positives we can take from the game as well as many opportunities where we can learn and get better."

It was a back and forth battle between the Broncos and the Bulldogs as the two teams combined for 13 ties and nine lead changes. Neither team led by more than eight on Wednesday night with WMU outscoring Butler in the second half, 36-34.

As a team the Broncos shot 46 percent from the field and was a staggering 9-of-18 from behind the three-point line. WMU outrebounded Butler, 34-32 with the Bulldogs holding a 7-2 advantage on the offensive glass. WMU scored 20 points in the paint against the Bulldogs and registered five blocks.

Western Michigan had three players score in double figures led by sophomore guard B. Artis White with 17 points. White shot an efficient 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from long distance. The Canton, Mich., native was tied for the team lead with seven rebounds and led the team with five assists. White's seven rebounds was a career-high while his five assists were one shy of his career-mark.

Fellow sophomore Titus Wright continued the success he had from his All-MAC Freshman team campaign a year ago with eight points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field in 29 minutes. Wright also registered three rebounds with one assist and one block.

The Broncos had two players off the bench score in double figures with senior Rafael Cruz Jr. tallying 14 points and junior Patrick Emilien with 11. Cruz Jr. was 5-of-7 from the field and knocked down two three-pointers to go along with two rebounds. Emilien was 4-of-8 from the field with three coming from long distance. Emilien's three three-pointers matched a career-high.

In his Bronco debut senior Greg Lee was tied for the team lead with seven rebounds while having six points and two assists. Lee was 3-of-10 from the field in 23 minutes of action. Rounding out the scoring for WMU with three points each was redshirt junior Jason Whitens and Freshman Josiah Freeman.

Western Michigan (0-1) returns to the court on Saturday, Nov. 28 in a road contest at Trine University. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. inside the MTI Center. It will be the first time in school history WMU will travel to play a Division III opponent.

The Broncos got out of the gate quickly to begin the 2020-21 season as the sophomore duo of White and Wright combined to score the first six points as WMU took an early 6-2 lead. Butler responded with a 7-0 run to earn a 9-6 lead at the 15-minute mark.

Both teams went back and forth midway through the first half as Butler made five of its seven field goals to gain a 14-12 lead at the 12:10 mark. However, Western Michigan continued to claw back and tied the game at 14 at the halfway point of the first half after a bucket from Wright. Wright had six of the Broncos' first 14 points.

Shooting 53 percent from the field the Broncos and Bulldogs were all knotted up at 18 with 7:32 left to play in the first half. After a Bulldogs transition lay-up, point guard B. Artis White knocked down the first of his three triples' on the night to give WMU a 21-20 lead. The lead was quickly evaporated as Butler went on a 5-0 run in under a minute to gain a 29-24 advantage. Down the stretch both teams went scoreless from the field the final 3:23 of play as the Bulldogs held a 32-26 lead at halftime.

To open up the second half, senior forward Greg Lee scored four straight points to cut the Butler lead down to two before redshirt junior Jason Whitens converted an and-one to give WMU an early 33-32 lead. Western Michigan took a two-point lead at the 12:42 mark after the Broncos went on a 6-0 run highlighted by three's from Emilien and Cruz Jr.

At the midway point of the second half WMU had a two-point lead as the Broncos made five of seven field goals and held Butler scoreless for nearly three minutes. Both teams went back and forth once again before the Bulldogs jumped out to a 62-55 with three minutes remaining.

After Butler made three straight field goals the Broncos trailed by eight with two minutes remaining but continued to battle back. Two made free-throws from White trimmed the Bulldog lead down to six prior to Cruz Jr. connecting on a corner three to trim Butler's lead down to three with 47 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing possession, the Broncos registered a defensive stop as Butler threw up a three-pointer from near half court that bounced off the rim and into the hands of Whitens. With 6.6 seconds remaining, Butler fouled Titus Wright away from the ball and sent the sophomore center to the free-throw line for a one-and-one and trailing by three.

Wright missed the front end of the one-and-one with the rebounding falling in to the hands of a Butler defender who was immediately fouled. Butler's Jair Bolden iced the game moments later, making 1-of-2 from the free-throw line to clinch the 66-62 Butler victory.