KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team begins Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday evening with a trip to Toledo. Tip is set for 7 pm and the game will be streamed live on ESPN3 and the Bronco Media Network.

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (4-7, 0-0) at Toledo (8-3, 0-0)

Date/Time: Wednesday, Dec. 29 – 7 pm

Site: Savage Arena (Toledo, Ohio)

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Video: ESPN3

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan begins its 20-game Mid-American Conference slate on Wednesday night with a trip to Toledo.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 85-52 setback at the hands of Notre Dame in their non-conference finale on Dec. 20.
• Lamar Norman Jr. led Western Michigan in scoring for the eighth time this season with 15 points, while Markeese Hastings added 10 and a team-high eight boards.
• Norman's 15 points put him in double-figures for the ninth consecutive game.
• The Broncos won the rebounding battle against the Fighting Irish, but fell to just 2-4 when winning the battle on the glass.
• Wedneday marks the 154th all-time meeting between WMU and Toledo in a series that dates back to the 1936-37 season.
• The Rockets own a 90-63 advantage in the series and have won nine in a row.
• Western Michigan's most recent win in the series was a 61-56 overtime victory at Savage Arena on Feb. 21, 2017.

TIME FOR #MACTION
Western Michigan begins its 20-game Mid-American Conference slate on Wednesday night with a trip to Toledo. WMU has won its MAC opener each of the last two seaons, with home wins over CMU and Ohio. The Broncos have dropped their first conference road game each of the last three seasons.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 85-52 loss at Notre Dame back on Dec. 20 in the team's non-conference finale. Lamar Norman Jr. led Western Michigan with 15 points, while Markeese Hastings chipped in 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Thanks in part to 11 offensive rebounds, two shy of its season high, Western Michigan won the rebounding battle in the setback at Notre Dame. The Broncos have won the rebounding battle six times this season, but are just 2-4 in those contests.

WMU VS TOLEDO
Wednesday's contest marks the 154th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Toledo in a series that dates back to the 1936-37 season. The Rockets hold a 90-63 series lead and have won nine in a row over the Broncos. The last WMU win in the series was a 61-56 overtime triumph at Savage Arena on Feb. 21, 2017, which completed the Broncos' last season sweep of Toledo.

THE LAST TIME WE MET
Toledo won both meetings between these two teams last year, including a 91-44 victory over the Broncos at Savage Arena. Western Michigan's 44 points, 28.8 percent field goal percentage and 11.5 percent three-point percentage were all season lows.

SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
The Rockets went 8-3 in non-conference play and are led by the MAC's leading scorer, Ryan Rollins, who is averaging 19.6 points per game. Toledo and Western Michigan had three common opponents from non-conference play, as both played Valparaiso, Michigan State and Detroit Mercy. UT beat Valpo and UDM, while WMU lost to all three.

SCORIN' NORMAN
Western Michigan newcomer Lamar Norman Jr. has burst onto the scene, ranking fourth in the MAC at 18.1 points per game. With his 15 points on Dec. 20 at Notre Dame, the junior extended his streak of double-digit scoring games to nine in a row. Norman is one of four players in the league to have a 30-point game and has four 20-point efforts, tied for second-most in the conference this season. Norman currently leads the MAC in made three-pointers at 3.5 per contest.

MAKING HIS MARK
Fellow WMU newcomer Markeese Hastings ranks in the top-10 of the conference in several categories as well. The redshirt sophomore ranks sixth in field goal percentage (.519), seventh in rebounding (7.0) and tied for third in offensive rebounding (2.9).

SHARPSHOOTING MARTIN
Through his first 10 games, Adrian Martin has knocked down 44.0 percent of his three-point tries, the eighth-highest percentage in the conference. The junior's biggest outburst of the season from downtown was his single-game program record 6-for-6 performance in Western Michigan's overtime win over Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 27.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Mack Smith tallied his first double-double at WMU and third of his collegiate career with his 14 points and season-high 10 rebounds in the Dec. 17 win over Aquinas. The double-double was the second by a Bronco this season, with Markeese Hastings having tallied 14 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime win over Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 28. 

HALFTIME LEADS TURN INTO W'S
Including its 3-0 mark this season, Western Michigan owns a 48-15 record over the last four seasons when leading at halftime.

340 AND COUNTING
WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 340 straight games dating back to 2011. 

ON THE HORIZON
WMU returns to Kalamazoo on Saturday, Jan. 1, to ring in the new year against Ohio.