KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team opens up its 2024-25 season on Monday night as it takes on Coastal Carolina in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (0-0) at Coastal Carolina (0-0)

Date/Time: Monday, Nov. 4 – 7 pm

Site: HTC Center (Conway, S.C)

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: SIDEARM

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan begins its 2024-25 season on Monday night as it travels south to face Coastal Carolina.
• It is the first of two games for the Broncos in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, with WMU's other game set for Feb. 8.
• Western Michigan went 0-2 in the inaugural year of the challenge, and the Sun Belt went 15-9 overall against the MAC.
• Returning guard JaVaughn Hannah was named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year last season, becoming the third Bronco in program history to earn that honor.
• Hannah is WMU's leading returning scorer after averaging 9.2 PPG last year.
• Leading rebounder Owen Lobsinger is also back after finishing ninth in the league at 6.3 rebounds per game in 2023-24.
• Western Michigan was tabbed to finish 10th in the MAC preseason poll, while the Chanticleers were picked 13th in the SBC.
• Monday's contest marks the first all-time meeting between WMU and CCU.

FOR OPENERS
Western Michigan begins its 2024-25 season on Monday night as it heads down to Conway, S.C., to face Coastal Carolina. The Broncos are 6-4 in their last 10 season openers. WMU has dropped its first road game of the year each of the last four seasons. 

MAC-SUN BELT CHALLENGE
Monday's season opener also marks the first game of this season's MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, the second year of the scheduling alliance between the two leagues. Last season, the SBC took the belt with a 15-9 mark. Western Michigan went 0-2 in last year's challenge, falling at home to Georgia State in November and then dropping a road tilt at Southern Miss in February. With the MAC having 12 teams and the Sun Belt featuring 14, Coastal Carolina was one of two SBC teams to not have the opportunity to take part in last year's challenge. The second game of this year's challenge is slated for Feb. 8, with WMU set to host a Sun Belt team which will be announced in January. 

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan closed out the 2023-24 season with a quarterfinal exit at the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. The sixth-seeded Broncos fell to No. 3 seed Ohio, 82-55. It was WMU's first appearance in the MAC Tournament since the 2019-20 campaign, and its first time reaching Cleveland since 2016-17.

THE SIXTH MAN
Last season, JaVaughn Hannah became the third Bronco to ever earn the MAC's Sixth Man of the Year award, joining Reggie Barry (2004) and David Brown (2013). The junior is Western Michigan's returning leading scorer, having averaged 9.2 points per game a season ago. Despite starting just 11 of 30 games in 2023-24, he ranked third on the team in minutes at 28.1 per contest.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Led by Owen Lobsinger, who was ninth in the league at 6.3 rebounds per game, the Broncos ranked second in the MAC in overall rebounding (37.9), third in rebounding margin (+2.6) and paced the conference in offensive rebounding (12.6). The 12.6 offensive rebounds ranked 34th in NCAA DI. In conference play, WMU led the league in rebounding margin (+4.6) and offensive rebounding (12.8), and was second overall at 38.8. 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
In the first two seasons under head coach Dwayne Stephens, Western Michigan has been firing away from three-point range. The Broncos made 253 three-pointers last season and 250 in 2022-23, which rank as the second and third-most made three's in program history. Owen Lobsinger is WMU's resident returning sharpshooter, having made 51 three's last season on 37.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc, the 12th-best percentage in the conference. The Brown and Gold have made at least one three-pointer in 423 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season. 

WMU VS THE SUN BELT
Outside of former MAC member Marshall, Western Michigan has played just 12 games against current Sun Belt teams in its history. The Broncos are 5-7 against current SBC foes, including an 0-2 mark in last year's challenge. WMU's last win against a Sun Belt foe was a neutral site victory over Appalachian State on Nov. 17, 2017. 

SERIES HISTORY
Monday's contest marks the first-ever meeting between WMU and Coastal Carolina.

SCOUTING THE CHANTS
Former Western Carolina head coach Justin Gray begins his first season at the helm of Coastal Carolina on Monday night. Coach Gray's roster features 13 newcomers, and its two returners, Henry Abraham and Braeden MacVicar, combined for 7.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game a season ago. The Chanticleers were picked to finish 13th in the 14-team Sun Belt Conference.

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan begins its regular season home schedule on Thursday, as it welcomes Davenport to University Arena. The Broncos are scheduled to play 15 home games in 2024-25, their most home games since the 2019-20 campaign.