KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team closes out the 2023 calendar year on Friday as it welcomes Aquinas to University Arena. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (2-9) vs Aquinas (6-6)

Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 29 – 4 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Video: Bronco All-Access

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan closes out the 2023 calendar year on Friday afternoon as it welcomes Aquinas to University Arena.
• The Broncos are coming off of a 90-77 loss to Cleveland State back on Dec. 21.
• Seth Hubbard paced WMU with 23 points, one point shy of his career high. 
• Javonte Brown went 8-of-10 from the floor for a new career-high 21 points. 
• Owen Lobsinger notched 14 points and tied a career high with 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. 
• The Broncos collected 15 offensive rebounds against CSU to move atop the MAC at 12.8 offensive boards per game.
• Western Michigan has won each of the prior four meetings against Aquinas.
• The most recent matchup between the two was a 67-56 WMU victory back on Dec. 17, 2021, at University Arena. 
• The Saints arrive in Kalamazoo at 6-6 on the season and are playing Friday's contest as an exhibition game. 

ONE MORE TUNEUP
Western Michigan closes out the 2023 calendar year on Friday as it welcomes Aquinas to University Arena. Friday's contest marks the final game before the Broncos start Mid-American Conference play next week. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a 90-77 loss at Cleveland State back on Dec. 21. Seth Hubbard netted 23 points, one shy of his career high, while Javonte Brown netted a career-high 21 points, giving WMU a pair of 20-point scorers in the same game for the first time this season. Owen Lobsinger notched his first collegiate double-double after tallying 14 points and 11 rebounds. 

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Javonte Brown has made an immediate impact in his first two games for the Broncos, posting his first collegiate double-double in his debut at UIC (15 points, 11 rebounds), and following that up with a career-high 21 points last time out at Cleveland State. Brown was extremely efficient in the 21-point effort against CSU, going 8-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-6 at the free throw line. Through two games for the Brown and Gold, the Texas A&M transfer is averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 60.9 percent from the floor. 

OWEN OWNS THE GLASS
Owen Lobsinger tied his career high with 11 rebounds and added 14 points to post his first career double-double against Cleveland State. For the season, the junior leads Western Michigan at 6.4 rebounds per game, which ranks ninth in the conference. 

DOUBLE TROUBLE
After having zero double-doubles through the first nine games of the season, Western Michigan has had two different players record their first career double-double in back-to-back games. Javonte Brown scored 15 points and hauled in a career-high 11 rebounds in his WMU debut at UIC on Dec. 16, and Owen Lobsinger then followed that up with a double-double at Cleveland State on Dec. 21, netting 14 points to go with a career-high tying 11 rebounds. 

ON THE OFFENSIVE
After leading the MAC in offensive rebounding a season ago at 12.2 per game, Western Michigan is right back at the top of the league again at 12.8 offensive rebounds per contest. The Brown and Gold have secured double-digit offensive rebounds in eight of their 11 games, including a combined 39 in their last two contests. The Broncos have a pair of players in the top-10 in the league in offensive rebounding, with Titus Wright fifth (2.6) and Owen Lobsinger tied for 10th (2.0).

THE WRIGHT STUFF
Titus Wright has made at least 60.0 percent of his field goal attempts in seven of the season's first 11 games. After ranking fourth in the league in field goal percentage last year at 58.7 percent, the senior is currently ninth in the MAC with a 56.7 percent field goal percentage this season.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro handed out six assists in the setback at Cleveland State, the third time this season he has registered six or more assists in a game. For the year, the sophomore ranks eighth in the MAC at 3.0 assists per game, and seventh in the league with a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. B. Artis White ranks 15th in the league in assists, averaging 2.4 per contest. 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 402 straight games dating back to 2011. 

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan has won each of the prior four meetings with Aquinas, all four of which have come in Kalamazoo. The most recent encounter between the two came on Dec. 17, 2021, with the Broncos prevailing, 67-56. Lamar Norman Jr. led WMU with 19 points, while Mack Smith notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

THE ROAD AHEAD
Western Michigan begins Mid-American Conference play next week with a pair of road games. The Broncos visit Miami on Tuesday (Jan. 2), before heading to Buffalo on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 6).