KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team heads north to Mount Pleasant on Saturday night to take on rival Central Michigan. 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (6-14, 2-5 MAC) at Central Michigan (7-13, 2-5 MAC)

Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 28 – 7 pm

Site: McGuirk Arena (Mount Pleasant, Mich.)

Video: ESPN3

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: SIDEARM

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan continues its week of road games on Saturday night as it travels north to face rival Central Michigan.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 88-76 loss at Ohio on Tuesday night.   
• Lamar Norman Jr. led the three Broncos in double-figures with 20 points. 
• Tuesday marked the ninth time this season Norman has scored 20 or more.
• The Broncos lead the league in both rebounding margin (+7.5/game) and     offensive rebounding (12.3).
• Western Michigan enters Saturday with five straight wins against in-state foes.
• The Broncos have won three straight against the other Michigan MAC programs (2 against EMU, 1 vs CMU).
• Saturday marks the 150th all-time meeting between WMU and CMU.
• The Broncos are 94-55 in the all-time series against the Chippewas.
• Western Michigan is 5-7 at McGuirk Arena since it opened for the 2010-11 season.

A RIVALRY RENEWED
Western Michigan continues its week of road games on Saturday night as it travels up to Mount Pleasant for the first of two meetings against rival Central Michigan. The rematch between the Broncos and Chippewas is set for March 3, as the two teams will close out the regular season against one another at University Arena. That contest will also be WMU's Senior Night. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 88-76 loss at Ohio on Tuesday night. Lamar Norman Jr. led Western Michigan with 20 points, his ninth 20+ point game of the season. Titus Wright (16) and Tray Maddox Jr. (10) were also in double-figures for WMU.

IN-STATE DOMINANCE
Western Michigan is 3-0 so far this season against other teams from around the state, and has won five in a row overall against in-state foes. The Broncos have won three straight against the other Michigan MAC programs, with back-to-back wins over Eastern Michigan and a victory over Central Michigan in the second meeting last season.

WMU VS CMU
Saturday night marks the 150th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Central Michigan, with WMU holding a 94-55 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams split the season series in 2021-22, with each team winning on its home floor. The Broncos are 29-32 on the road against the Chippewas and are 5-7 at McGuirk Arena since it opened for the 2010-11 season.

SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS
Like the Broncos, Central Michigan enters Saturday 2-5 in MAC play after suffering an 83-61 defeat to Bowling Green on Tuesday. The Chippewas have struggled offensively this season, ranking at the bottom of the leagie in scoring offense (67.1 PPG), field goal percentage (.413) and three-point field goal percentage (.285). Jesse Zarzuela is CMU's leading scorer at 16.6 points per game, which is 10th in the league. Brian Taylor is tied for 17th in the MAC in scoring (14.2 PPG) and sixth in rebounding (6.6 RPG). 

CLEANING THE GLASS
After ranking near the bottom of the MAC in most rebounding categories a season ago, Western Michigan has turned things around in 2022-23 and is currently atop the conference in both rebounding margin (+7.5/game) and offensive rebounding (12.3), while ranking third in overall rebounding (38.2). Nationally, Western Michigan ranks 14th in rebounding margin, 41st in offensive rebounding and 48th in overall rebounding.

MAKING HIS MARK
Markeese Hastings has been the biggest reason for WMU's success on the glass, as he enters the weekend second in the MAC and 24th nationally in total rebounds (197), third in the conference and 20th nationally in rebounds per game (9.8), second in the league and 19th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (7.0) and fourth in the MAC and 73rd nationally in offensive rebounds per game (2.9). Hastings pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds on Jan. 6 at Toledo, one of 12 20-rebound games in DI this year. He is one of just three players from a mid-major conference to have a 20-rebound game, joining Weber State's Dillon Jones and 
Chattanooga's Jake Stephens. 

SCORIN' NORMAN
After netting 20 points on Tuesday night at Ohio, Lamar Norman Jr. has scored in double-figures in 45 of his 49 games as a Bronco. The senior has led WMU in scoring 36 times during his tenure in the Brown & Gold, including 11 times this season. Norman enters the weekend sixth in the MAC in scoring at 18.0 points per game.  

LONG RANGE LAMAR
Lamar Norman Jr. ranks second in the MAC in both made three-pointers (57) and made three's per game (3.0, 26th nationally). 

379 AND COUNTING
WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 379 straight games dating back to 2011. 

HALFTIME LEADS TURN INTO W'S
The Broncos own a 54-20 record over the last five seasons when leading at halftime, including a 5-0 mark this season.

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan returns home on Tuesday, Jan. 31, to take on Northern Illinois.