MADISON, Wisc. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team rounded out non-conference play with a 76-66 loss to No. 15 Wisconsin on Friday evening at the Kohl Center.    
 
Tray Maddox Jr. led Western Michigan (4-9) with 16 points for the evening, while Lamar Norman Jr. added 12. Titus Wright tallied eight points and seven rebounds for the Broncos, and Markeese Hastings pitched in with seven points, a team-high eight rebounds and a career-high tying four assists. Tafari Simms netted nine points off of the WMU bench.
 
Wisconsin (10-2) hit three-pointers on each of its first two possessions on its way to a 14-3 advantage in the opening five minutes. An 8-2 response helped Western Michigan get back to within five, 18-13, with 12:21 to go in the first half.
 
The Badgers briefly bumped the margin to nine, 22-13, but Maddox and Norman each buried a three-pointer to bring the deficit back to three, 22-19, with 6:29 to go in the half. The Broncos got as close as two on a couple of occasions, including at the 2:15 mark, as a Maddox jumper made it 29-27, which was the margin at halftime. Western Michigan held UW without a point for the final three minutes of the opening stanza.
 
Holding a 32-29 edge in the early stages of the second half, Wisconsin ripped off a 13-2 run to expand its lead out to 45-31 with 15:33 to play. The margin stayed between 11 and 15 until an 11-6 stretch helped the Badgers boost their advantage to 74-56 with 2:36 remaining. Western Michigan scored 10 of the final 12 points of the evening to get to within 10.
 
Western Michigan went 26-of-57 (45.6 percent) from the field and knocked down 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) from beyond the arc. The Broncos connected on 55.2 percent (16-of-29) in the second half, including an even 50.0 percent (five-of-10) from downtown. Wisconsin shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) and also hit 12 triples for the evening.
 
For the fifth consecutive game, the Broncos held the advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Badgers, 32-28. WMU also committed a season-low seven turnovers in the contest.
 
Western Michigan begins Mid-American Conference play on Tuesday, Jan. 3, as it travels to Kent State. The Broncos and Golden Flashes are set for a 7 pm tip.
 
WMU returns to University Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 10, for a 7 pm contest against Eastern Michigan. To purchase tickets to any Western Michigan men's basketball home game this season, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.