KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball cut its deficit down to four with just under a minute to play but was unable to rally late in an 85-76 loss to in-state rival Central Michigan on Saturday inside University Arena.

After trailing by 11 with 3:34 remaining the Broncos stormed back and cut their deficit down to four thanks to a corner three-pointer from freshman B. Artis White. During the comeback attempt WMU got two threes from White along with three made free-throws after being fouled from junior Michael Flowers. However, that was the closest the Broncos got in the second half as CMU made nine of their final 10 free-throws to secure the victory.

Western Michigan had four players score in double figures on Saturday for the 10^th time this season and fourth time in the last five games. Flowers led the Broncos with 23 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and four three-pointers. Flowers was 6-of-20 from the field against CMU and was 7-of-9 from the free-throw line.

Dating back to last season, Flower has now scored in double figures in 25 straight games and is just 43 points away from surpassing 1,000 for his career. It was the fifth 20-point game of the season for the junior guard and 17th of his career.

Ranking second on the team off the bench was sophomore William Boyer-Richard with 15 points, one shy of his career-high. Boyer-Richard in 16 minutes of action was 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from long distance. It was Boyer-Richard's first game in double figures since scoring 11 back on Nov. 9 against Milwaukee.

The freshman duo of B. Artis White and Titus Wright combined to score 26 points againt the Chippewas with White recording 14 points and Wright earning 12. White was 5-of-9 from the field with four three-pointers, three rebounds and one assist. Wright was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field to go along with five rebounds.

The quarter of Flowers, Boyer-Richard, White and Wright combined to score 64 of WMU's 78 total points. Redshirt junior Brandon Johnson led the Broncos on the glass with eight rebounds, marking the 10th game this season with at least eight rebounds.

As a team the Broncos shot 44.1 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from long distance. CMU narrowly out rebounded WMU 36-33 while holding a 38-28 advantage in the paint. The Broncos forced CMU to commit nine turnovers on the night, scoring 13 points off those turnovers. WMU scored 21 points off the bench, earning 20 or more points off the bench for the ninth time this season.

Halfway through Mid-American Conference play the Broncos have an overall record of 9-12 and 2-6 in conference action. WMU hits the road for its next contest on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Miami before returning home on Saturday, Feb. 8 against MAC west foe Ball State.

To begin the game, the Chippewas got off to a fast start jumping out to a 7-2 lead in the first three minutes of action before WMU responded with four straight points to tie the game at the first media timeout.

After the two teams traded baskets the Broncos went on a run of three straight made field goals to cut the CMU lead down to 14-10 at the 13:36 mark. The Chippewas responded by making four of their next five field goals to earn a 19-11 lead at the halfway point of the first half.

Sophomore guard William Boyer-Richard provided a spark off the bench for the Broncos late in the first half, scoring nine straight points with two three-pointers along with an and-one to cut the deficit down to 27-26 with 6:58 remaining. The two rivals once again traded baskets at a furious pace before Flower knocked down a 15-foot jumper to cut the CMU lead down to three with two minutes to go.

Late in the first half the Chippewas connected on their final three field goals to take a 41-35 lead into the locker room. In the first half, WMU shot 42.9 percent from the field while CMU shot an even 50 percent.

It was a fast pace start to the second half as both teams traded baskets prior to a two-minute scoreless drought by the Broncos that propelled CMU to grab a 51-41 lead at the 15:45 mark. Central Michigan earned its largest lead of the game at 13 at the 14-minute mark thanks to four straight baskets before Flowers knocked down an NBA range three to trim the deficit back to single digits.

Both teams shot lights out during the midway point of the second half as WMU made five of its next field goals while CMU made six of its next seven field goals to hang on to a 61-52 advantage. WMU trailed by nine with 4:33 remaining thanks to back-to-back threes from White and Flowers as CMU was held scoreless from the field for nearly three minutes.

Western Michigan cut its deficit down to five with 1:10 remaining after Flowers was fouled on a three-point shot, making all three free-throws. Prior to CMU making two free-throws, White knocked down a corner three to slim the CMU lead to 78-74 with 45 seconds remaining.

That was the closest WMU got in the second half as Central Michigan secured the game at the free-throw line, making nine of its final 10 free-throws for the 85-78 victory. The Broncos held CMU scoreless from the field the final 3:34 of play during the comeback attempt.