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

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (4-9, 0-2 MAC) vs Eastern Michigan (5-6, 0-0 MAC)

Date/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 4 – 7 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Video: ESPN+

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan continues its homestand on Tuesday night as it welcomes Eastern Michigan to University Arena.
• The Broncos are coming off of a 59-47 loss to Ohio on Saturday afternoon.
• Lamar Norman Jr. led WMU in scoring for the 10th time this season with 21 points.
• Norman's 21 points extended his double-digit scoring streak to 11 games in a row.
• Markeese Hastings collected 14 rebounds, giving him back-to-back double-digit rebounding games for the first time in his collegiate career (18 at Toledo on Dec. 29).
• WMU won the rebounding battle for the third straight game, edging Ohio 41-38.
• Tuesday marks the 120th all-time meeting between the Broncos and the Eagles, with WMU holding a 62-57 edge in the series. 
• Eastern Michigan has had the upperhand recently, winning five of the last six.
• The Eagles won a 64-63 nail-biter in the lone meeting last season, their third win in their last four trips to University Arena. 

IN-STATE STRETCH
Each of WMU's two games this week are slated to be against in-state foes. The Broncos welcome Eastern Michigan to town on Tuesday, then head to Mount Pleasant on Saturday to face Central Michigan. WMU is 2-3 against in-state opponents this season.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a 59-47 loss to Ohio on Saturday afternoon. Lamar Norman Jr. paced WMU in scoring for the 10th time this season, netting 21 points. Markeese Hastings came just shy of a double-double, posting nine points and 14 rebounds.

DEFENSE STEPS UP
The Western Michigan defense held Ohio to 59 points, the third time WMU has held an opponent under 60 this season. The Broncos limited OU to 13.6 percent (3-of-22) from downtown, their lowest percentage and tied for fewest made three's allowed this season.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Western Michigan won the rebounding battle for the third consecutive game on Saturday, edging Ohio 41-38. Nine of the 10 Broncos who played grabbed at least one rebound, with Markeese Hastings' 14 leading the way. WMU has had the edge on the glass in eight of 13 games this season, but owns just a 2-6 record in those eight contests.

HASTINGS HAVING HIS WAY
Markeese Hastings set a new career high with his 18 rebounds at Toledo, then followed that up with 14 more on Saturday. The Wyoming, Mich., native's 32 rebounds in WMU's first two MAC games mark the first time a Bronco has had 30+ rebounds in a two-game span since Brandon Johnson collected 31 combined rebounds against Oakland (15) and Youngstown State (16) in December of 2019. These past two games are the first back-to-back double-digit rebounding games for Hastings in his collegiate career. 

WMU VS EMU
Tuesday marks the 120th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. The Broncos hold a 62-57 edge in the series against the Eagles. 

RECENCY BIAS
Eastern Michigan has had the upperhand in the series recently, winning five of the last six matchups. In last year's lone meeting, EMU came away from Kalamazoo victorious for the third time in its last four visits.

WHEN LAST WE MET
The Broncos and Eagles met just once last season, with EMU coming out on top, 64-63, in the season finale. Josiah Freeman had a career night for Western Michigan, netting 17 points and knocking down five triples.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
EMU had each of its first two MAC games postponed and has not taken the floor since a 67-55 loss at Valparaiso on Dec. 20. The Eagles lead the NCAA in possessions at 79.3 per game, and boast two players in the top 11 of the conference in scoring. Noah Farrakhan is fifth at 17.1 points per game, while Monty Scott ranks 11th at 15.1.

SCORIN' NORMAN
Western Michigan newcomer Lamar Norman Jr. has burst onto the scene, ranking fourth in the MAC at 17.7 points per game. With his 21 points on Saturday against Ohio, the junior extended his streak of double-digit scoring games to 11 in a row. Norman is one of five players in the league to have a 30-point game and has five 20-point efforts, tied for second-most in the conference this season. He currently leads the MAC in made three-pointers at 3.2 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 eighth in field goal percentage (.500), third in rebounding (8.4), third in offensive rebounding (3.4) and tied for seventh in defensive rebounding (4.9). Hastings is second in the conference with four double-digit rebounding games.

342 AND COUNTING
After hitting six triples on Saturday against Ohio, Western Michigan has now made at least one three-pointer in 342 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.