KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After winning its 2024-25 Home Opener last Thursday, the Western Michigan men's basketball team hits the road on Monday night for a nationally televised game against Butler.
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (1-1) at Butler (1-1)

Date/Time: Monday, Nov. 11 – 7 pm

Site: Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Video: FS1

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan heads back out on the road on Monday as it visits Butler.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 86-46 win over Davenport on Thursday night in their 2024-25 Home Opener.
• WMU limited Davenport to 17 points in the first half and 46 total, both the lowest marks allowed since December of 2022.
• Western Michigan also forced 21 turnovers, its most since November of 2016.
• As a team, WMU leads the MAC in scoring defense, three-point percentage defense and turnover margin through one week.
• Western Michigan had 27 assists, its second-highest, single-game total ever.
• Brandon Muntu hit five three-pointers to net a career-high 17 points.
• Muntu was one of five Broncos to score in double-figures in Thursday's win.
• Butler leads the all-time series between the two programs, 10-3.
• The Broncos and Bulldogs most recently met in 2020, with Butler prevailing, 66-62.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After winning its Home Opener on Thursday, Western Michigan heads right back out on the road on Monday to take on Butler. The game will be nationally televised on FS1.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos opened up their 2024-25 home slate with an 86-46 victory over Davenport last Thursday night at University Arena. Western Michigan never looked back after tallying the first 10 points of the night on the way to a 26-2 start. Brandon Muntu hit five three-pointers to net a career-high 17 points to lead WMU in scoring. As a team, the Brown and Gold handed out 27 assists on their 32 made field goals.

DEFENSE LEADS THE WAY
In Thursday's victory, the Western Michigan defense held Davenport to 17 first-half points and 46 total, both of which were the lowest marks by a WMU opponent since Dec. 21, 2022, when Siena Heights managed just eight first-half points and 41 total. Through the season's first week, the Brown and Gold rank atop the MAC in scoring defense, allowing just 53.0 points per game, and three-point percentage defense, with opponents knocking down 23.8 percent of their attempts from three-point range.

TURNOVER TAKEAWAYS
Also key to WMU's defensive effort through the first week has been turnovers. Davenport had 21 turnovers on Thursday, the most Western Michigan had created in a single game since forcing Marygrove into 24 miscues on Nov. 11, 2016. The Broncos have also been able to limit their turnovers to the tune of a league-best +6.0 turnover margin.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Broncos had five or more players score in double-figures four times last season, and did it for the first time in 2024-25 on Thursday. Brandon Muntu led the charge with his career-high 17 points, Max Burton and JaVaughn Hannah each netted 13, and EJ Ryans and Markhi Strickland had 10 apiece.

SHARING IS CARING
Western Michigan made 32 field goals in Thursday's win, and assisted on 27 of them (84.4 percent). The 27 assists marked the second-highest, single-game total in program history, trailing only the 34 the Broncos racked up in last season's record-setting win over Aquinas. Four players had four or more assists, with EJ Ryans handing out a game-high seven. Owen Lobsinger dished out a career-high six, while JaVaughn Hannah and Markhi Strickland each added four.

OWEN-ING THE GLASS
After finishing ninth in the conference at 6.3 rebounds per game last season, Owen Lobsinger has taken things up a notch so far in 2024-25, averaging 10.0 rebounds per game, the third-best mark in the league through the season's first week. After pulling down a career-high 10 boards on Thursday, Seryee Lewis is up to a tie for 10th in the conference in rebounding at 7.5 per game.

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
After knocking down 11 in Thursday's win over Davenport, the Broncos have made at least one three-pointer in 425 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season. 

WMU VS THE BIG EAST
WMU has not played a Big East foe since its last matchup against Butler on Nov. 25, 2020. Western Michigan's last win over a Big East team came on Nov. 18, 2012, when it won on the road at then-conference member USF, 58-53. The most recent win over a current member of the Big East for the Broncos was a 54-40 victory at Marquette in the first round of the 2005 NIT.

SERIES HISTORY
The Broncos are 3-10 all-time against Butler, with the most recent meeting coming back in 2020 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Prior to that contest, the two teams hadn't met since 1950, when they split a home-and-home. 

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Butler is coming off of a loss to Austin Peay on Friday night. Four Bulldogs are averaging double-digit points through two games, led by Jahmyl Telfort's 18.5 PPG. Butler has struggled with turnovers thus far, averaging 17.5 per game with a -7.0 turnover margin.

ON THE HORIZON
WMU begins a three-game homestand on Friday night as it welcomes SIUE to town for the first game of the Bronco Classic.