KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team welcomes Buffalo to University Arena on Saturday afternoon for the lone regular season meeting between the two teams. Saturday is a doubleheader at University Arena, with the WMU women's team set to face Akron at noon prior to the Bronco men taking on the Bulls.

Saturday is also Alumni Day, with the men's basketball program inviting all alumni back to cheer on the Broncos. Men's basketball alumni can sign up here to receive up to four free tickets to Saturday's game. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (6-16, 2-7 MAC) vs Buffalo (10-12, 4-5 MAC)

Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 4 – 2:30 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Video: ESPN3

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan welcomes Buffalo to University Arena on Saturday for the lone regular season meeting between the two.
• The Broncos are coming off of a 73-59 setback on Tuesday evening against NIU.
• Markeese Hastings had a huge night for Western Michigan, posting a career-high tying 22 points as well as 19 rebounds.
• It was the sixth double-double of the season and 10th of his career for Hastings.
• Western Michigan was plus-14 (49-35) on the glass, including a 23-10 edge in offensive rebounding on Tuesday.
• The 23 offensive rebounds were the most by the Broncos since they grabbed 27 on Nov. 11, 2016, against Marygrove.
• Saturday is the 35th meeting in the all-time series between WMU and Buffalo, with the Bulls owning a 21-13 lead.
• Buffalo swept the season series last year and has won nine straight meetings. 
• WMU's last win in the series was a 91-71 triumph on Jan. 23, 2016, in Kalamazoo.

DOUBLE DIP SATURDAY
Western Michigan is back at home on Saturday afternoon as it hosts Buffalo. Saturday is a doubleheader with the WMU women's team, who faces Akron at noon. Saturday's game is set to be the lone regular season meeting between the Broncos and the Bulls.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a 73-59 loss to NIU on Tuesday evening at University Arena. Markeese Hastings picked up his sixth double-double of the campaign, as he collected 22 points and 19 rebounds. Titus Wright (16) and Lamar Norman Jr. (10) also scored in double-figures in the contest. 

HASTINGS' HUGE NIGHT
Markeese Hastings picked up his sixth double-double of the season and 10th of his career with his 22 points and 19 rebounds on Tuesday against NIU. The 22 points tied his career high, while the 19 rebounds were one short of his career-best. Hastings has recorded double-digit rebounds 13 times, including in six of WMU's nine MAC games. In league play, Hastings is averaging 12.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. 

CRASHING THE BOARDS
Led by Hastings, WMU owned a 49-35 rebound advantage, including a 23-10 edge on the offensive glass. The 23 offensive rebounds were the most by the Broncos since they grabbed 27 on Nov. 11, 2016, against Marygrove, and the most in a MAC game since notching 24 at Akron on Jan. 8, 2016.

WMU VS BUFFALO
Saturday's game will be the 35th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Buffalo. The Bulls hold a 21-13 advantage in the series, and have won nine in a row. WMU's last win over Buffalo was a 91-71 victory on Jan. 23, 2016, at University Arena. 

SCOUTING THE BULLS
Buffalo comes into Saturday off of back-to-back losses to league-leaders Kent State and Akron. The Bulls rank second in the MAC in scoring (79.0 PPG) and rebounding (38.6 RPG). LaQuill Hardnett is fourth in rebounding in conference play at 9.3 per contest.

CLEANING THE GLASS
After ranking near the bottom of the MAC in most rebounding categories a season ago, WMU has turned things around this season and is currently atop the league in overall rebounding (38.6), rebounding margin (+7.6) and offensive rebounding (12.9). Nationally, the Broncos are currently 12th in rebounding margin, 21st in offensive rebounding and 32nd in overall rebounding.

MAKING HIS MARK
Markeese Hastings enters the weekend second in the MAC in total rebounds (226, 16th nationally), rebounds per game (10.3, 12th) and defensive rebounds per game (7.2, 15th). He is one of 15 players in NCAA DI to average double-digit rebounds this season. Hastings had a career-high 20 rebounds on Jan. 6 at Toledo, one of 13 20-rebound games in DI this year. He is one of 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 tallying 10 points on Tuesday, Lamar Norman Jr. has scored in double-figures in 47 of his 51 games as a Bronco. The senior has led WMU in scoring 37 times in his career, including 12 times this season. Norman is fifth in the MAC in scoring at 18.0 points per game and is 27 points away from becoming the 45th player in program history to score 1,000 career points. 

LONG RANGE LAMAR
Lamar Norman Jr. is second in the MAC in both made three-pointers (62, 45th nationally) and made three's per game (3.0, 30th).

381 AND COUNTING
WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 381 straight games dating back to 2011. 

HALFTIME LEADS TURN INTO W'S
The Broncos own a 54-21 record over the last five seasons when leading at halftime, including a 5-1 mark this season.

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan hits the road for a pair of games next week, starting Tuesday at Miami.