KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team continues its four-game homestand on Tuesday night as it welcomes Buffalo to University Arena. Tip between the Broncos and Bulls is slated for 7 pm at University Arena. Fans can purchase tickets here. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN3 and the Bronco Media Network.

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (4-10, 0-3 MAC) vs Buffalo (7-6, 1-2 MAC)

Date/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 11 – 7 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Video: ESPN3

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• WMU continues its four-game homestand on Tuesday as it welcomes preseason MAC favorite Buffalo to University Arena.
• Western Michigan hasn't played since last Tuesday, Jan. 4, as its weekend trip to Central Michigan was postponed due to the league's health and safety protocols.
• Their last time out, the Broncos fell, 85-79, to Eastern Michigan last Tuesday night.
• Lamar Norman Jr. led Western Michigan in scoring for the 11th time this season with a career-high 34 points, 20 in the first half.
• Norman's 20 first-half points were the most scored in a half by a Bronco since Michael Flowers had 21 in the second half at Toledo in the first round of the MAC Tournament on March 9, 2020.
• Western Michigan won the rebounding battle for the fourth straight game, edging Eastern Michigan 37-31.
• Tuesday marks the 33rd all-time meeting between the Broncos and the Bulls, with Buffalo holding a 19-13 advantage.

HOMESTAND CONTINUES
After having Saturday's scheduled visit to Central Michigan postponed due to the league's health and safety protocols, Western Michigan continues its four-game homestand on Tuesday as it welcomes preseason MAC favorite Buffalo to Kalamazoo.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 85-79 loss to Eastern Michigan last Tuesday evening. Lamar Norman Jr. paced WMU with a career-high 34 points, 20 of which came in the first half. Cameron Kimble chipped in a career-high 10 points, while Titus Wright snared a season-high 11 rebounds in the contest.

NORMAN'S BIG NIGHT
Lamar Norman Jr. poured in a career-high 34 points on Tuesday, with 20 of those points coming in the first half. It was the first 20-point half by a Bronco since Michael Flowers netted 21 in the second half of a first round MAC Tournament game at Toledo on March 9, 2020. Norman's 34 points were the most in a single game by a WMU player since Flowers netted 35 that night against the Rockets. It also marked the first time a WMU player had scored 20 in the first half of a game since Seth Dugan scored 20 in the first half of the 2018-19 season opener against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 6, 2018. 

CLEANING THE GLASS
Western Michigan won the rebounding battle for the fourth consecutive game on Tuesday, topping Eastern Michigan 37-31. 10 of the 11 Broncos who played grabbed at least one rebound, with Titus Wright's season-high 11 leading the way. WMU has had the edge on the glass in nine of its 14 games, but owns just a 2-7 mark in those nine contests.

WMU VS BUFFALO
Tuesday marks the 33rd all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Buffalo, with the Bulls holding a 19-13 advantage in the series. Buffalo has won 12 of the last 15 matchups, including the last seven in a row.  The two teams have split the previous 14 meetings at University Arena, 7-7. Western Michigan's last win over UB was a 91-71 triumph on Jan. 23, 2016, in Kalamazoo.

WHEN LAST WE MET
Buffalo completed a season sweep over Western Michigan with an 86-54 win over the Broncos on Feb. 12, 2021, at UB's Alumni Arena. Six Bulls scored in double-figures in the contest, while B. Artis White netted a game-high 18 points for the Broncos. 

SCOUTING THE BULLS
Like WMU, Buffalo did not play over the weekend, with its most recent contest a 99-88 win over Bowling Green last Wednesday. Three Bulls sit inside the top-10 of the conference in scoring, with Jeenathan Williams fourth (18.8), Ronaldo Segu eighth (16.3) and Josh Mballa ranking 10th (15.2).

SCORIN' NORMAN
Western Michigan newcomer Lamar Norman Jr. has burst onto the scene, ranking third in the MAC at 18.9 points per game. With his career-high 34 against EMU, the junior extended his streak of double-digit scoring games to 12 in a row. Norman is the only player in the league to have multiple 30-point games and has six 20-point efforts, tied for second-most in the conference this season. He currently leads the MAC in made three-pointers at 3.3 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 10th in field goal percentage (.495), third in rebounding (8.2), third in offensive rebounding (3.4) and seventh in defensive rebounding (4.9). Hastings is second in the conference with four double-digit rebounding games.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Transfers Lamar Norman Jr. (Duquesne) and Markeese Hastings (Butler) have been among the most impactful transfers in all of Division I, as the duo represents two of the 13 DI transfers who have increased their scoring averages by 8.0 points or more from last season. Norman has increased his scoring average by 13.9 PPG (5.0 to 18.9), while Hastings has jumped 8.3 PPG (0.5 to 8.8). Norman's 13.9 PPG increase is second to EMU's Noah Farrakhan, who has had a 14.5 PPG increase.

343 AND COUNTING
WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 343 straight games dating back to 2011. 

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.

ON THE HORIZON
WMU concludes its four-game homestand on Saturday afternoon as it welcomes Miami to University Arena for a 2 pm tip.