KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team plays its first game of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge on Saturday afternoon as it welcomes Georgia State to University Arena. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (0-1) vs Georgia State (0-1)

Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 11 – 1 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan continues its season-opening homestand on Saturday afternoon as it hosts Georgia State.
• Saturday's tilt is the first of two games for WMU as a part of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 80-76 overtime loss to North Dakota State in Monday night's season opener. 
• B. Artis White led Western Michigan with 20 points, while Seth Hubbard added 16.
• Titus Wright secured a team-high 11 rebounds, one shy of his career high.
• Newcomers Brandon Muntu, Markhi Strickland and Anthony Crump all made their Bronco debuts on Monday night.
• Outside of former MAC member Marshall, Saturday is just the 11th game for WMU against a current Sun Belt squad.
• Georgia State dropped its season opener on Monday night at Belmont, 89-87.
• WMU won the only prior meeting with the Panthers on a Flenard Whitfield layup with 0.6 seconds to go on Dec. 11, 2010.

OPENING WEEK CONTINUES
Western Michigan continues its season-opening homestand on Saturday afternoon as it welcomes Georgia State to University Arena. It continues a busy start to the season for the Broncos, as they play three times in the first eight days of the new campaign.

MAC-SUN BELT CHALLENGE
Saturday's game is WMU's first in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, which will see each  MAC team face a pair of Sun Belt squads this season, one home and one away. Heading into the weekend, the challenge is even at 1-1, with Akron and Southern Miss playing on Friday and then nine matchups set for Saturday. In February, MAC squads will play road games against SBC foes, with matchups to be determined in January.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos dropped their season opener to North Dakota State, 80-76 in overtime, on Monday night at University Arena. WMU held a 10-point lead at halftime, but the Bison came back to force overtime, and held Western Michigan in check in the extra session. B. Artis White (20 points) and Seth Hubbard (16) both scored in double-figures for the Brown and Gold. 

B. ARTIS IS BACK
After missing all of the 2022-23 season due to injury, B. Artis White made his return to the Western Michigan lineup on Monday and made an immediate impact. The Canton, Mich., native hit a career-high eight field goals on the way to 20 points, his seventh career 20+ point scoring game for the Brown and Gold. White also had a team-high four assists and a pair of steals while playing a new career-high 41 minutes.

THE WRIGHT STUFF
Titus Wright had a strong start to his senior campaign on Monday as he pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, one shy of his career high. Six of Wright's 11 rebounds came on the offensive glass, helping the Broncos notch 13 offensive rebounds in the contest. The Thomasville, Ga., native also hit a career milestone on Monday, as he surpassed 500 career rebounds in the first half. 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
WMU was prolific from beyond the arc last season, as it knocked down 250 three-pointers, the second-most in a single season in school history. The Broncos picked up where they left off on Monday, draining 12 triples against North Dakota State. Seth Hubbard led Western Michigan with four three-pointers, while B. Artis White hit three. WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 392 straight games dating back to 2011.

HOT-HAND HUBBARD
Seth Hubbard got hot down the stretch at the end of the 2022-23 campaign for Western Michigan and continued his strong play in Monday's season opener, tying his career high with four three-pointers and tallying 16 points off of the Bronco bench. Going back to last season, Hubbard has hit 22-of-43 (.512) from downtown and averaged 11.1 points over his last 10 games. 

WMU VS THE SUN BELT
Outside of former MAC member Marshall, Western Michigan has played just 10 games against current Sun Belt teams in its history. The Broncos are 5-5 against current SBC foes, with the most recent contest a 63-57 loss to Georgia Southern last season.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Like the Broncos, Georgia State opened the 2023-24 campaign with a setback, as it fell at Belmont, 89-87, on Monday night. Newcomers Leslie Nkereuwem (14 points) and Jay'Den Turner (12 points, 11 rebounds) led the way for the Panthers in the contest. 

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan and Georgia State have met once prior to Saturday, with the Broncos topping the Panthers in Atlanta, 61-59, on Dec. 11, 2010. That night, former 1,000-point scorer Flenard Whitfield made a layup with 0.6 seconds left to give WMU the victory. 

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan heads to Big Ten country for back-to-back road games, starting on Tuesday evening at Northwestern. The Broncos follow that up with a trip to Ohio State next Sunday, Nov. 19.