KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team extended its winning streak to five in a row on Saturday as it knocked off Ohio, 81-79, at University Arena. The five-game winning streak is WMU's longest since a nine-game run near the end of the 2016-17 season. The Broncos are also 4-0 in MAC play for the first time since the 2004-05 campaign.  
 
Western Michigan (7-9, 4-0 MAC) used a balanced offensive attack which featured four players in double-figures for the second consecutive game and eight players with at least six points. Seth Hubbard paced the Brown and Gold offensively with 15 points, while JaVaughn Hannah (13), B. Artis White (13) and Owen Lobsinger (10) joined Hubbard in double-figures.
 
The Broncos won the rebounding battle for the seventh straight contest, dominating the Bobcats (7-9, 1-3) on the glass, 46-29. Anthony Crump led the way with nine boards, and Seth Hubbard approached a double-double as well after reeling in a career-high eight rebounds. White delivered a game-high five assists.
 
Ohio started out on the front foot, as a 13-3 stretch helped the visitors grab a 19-9 advantage in the opening seven minutes of the contest. Western Michigan countered with a 10-2 run to get back to within one, 24-23, with eight minutes to go in the opening period. The Broncos then took their first lead of the game with just over three minutes remaining in the half on a Hannah three-pointer. Holding a one-point edge in the final seconds, WMU got a pair of rejections from Max Burton and Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro to keep its 37-36 advantage intact heading into halftime.
 
The Bobcats grabbed the first five points of the second half to move back ahead, 41-37. The visitors stayed in front until a 7-2 spurt, capped by a Crump dunk, put the Brown and Gold on top, 46-45, at the 15:45 mark. Ohio creeped back into a one-point lead, 49-48, but Western Michigan countered with a 12-1 surge to seize its largest cushion of the afternoon, 60-50, near the midway point of the half.
 
The two teams traded baskets for the next several minutes, until six quick OU points closed the gap to three, 74-71, with under two minutes to play. On the ensuing possession, Lobsinger canned a three-pointer late in the shot clock to restore a six-point cushion, 77-71, as the contest entered the final minute. Ohio refused to go away, and once again clawed to within three at 80-77. Following a WMU free throw, the Bobcats came down and were awarded three free throws with 1.4 ticks left. After making the first two, Ohio's Ajay Sheldon missed the last one intentionally to try and get a desperation tip-in for the tie, but Javonte Brown secured the rebound to seal the two-point victory for the Brown and Gold.
 
The Broncos shot 46.4 percent (26-of-56) for the contest and connected on eight three-pointers. Ohio made 43.3 percent (26-of-60) from the floor, with the WMU defense limiting the Bobcats to just 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from downtown. Both teams posted identical 72.4 percent (21-of-29) marks from the free throw line.
 
Western Michigan heads to Akron on Tuesday evening to take on the Zips in a battle between two teams who are undefeated in conference play. Tip is set for 7 pm on ESPN+.