KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team returns to University Arena on Friday evening to begin the Bronco Classic against SIUE.
 

WEEKEND INFO

Game One: Friday, Nov. 15 | 5 pm | WMU vs SIUE | TICKETS | WATCH LIVE | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS
Game Two: Saturday, Nov. 16 | 3 pm | Canisius vs. SIUE | TICKETS | WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS
Game Three: Sunday, Nov. 17 | 12 pm | WMU vs Canisius | TICKETS | WATCH LIVE | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan opens up a three-game homestand with the first game of the Bronco Classic on Thursday evening as it takes on SIUE at University Arena.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 85-65 loss at Butler on Monday night.
• Donovan Williams led the way for WMU in both points (17) and rebounds (9).
• Williams went 9-for-9 at the foul line on Monday and ranks second in the MAC in both free throws made and attempted. 
• JaVaughn Hannah netted 15 points and has scored in double-figures in each of the first three games for the Broncos.
• Western Michigan committed just five turnovers, its lowest total since a four-turnover game against BGSU in 2023.
• The Broncos are atop the MAC and top-50 nationally with a +6.0 turnover margin.
• Western Michigan is also second in the league with a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• SIUE won the only prior meeting between the two programs back in 2008.

THE BRONCO CLASSIC
Western Michigan returns to University Arena this weekend to open up a three-game homestand. The homestand begins with the Bronco Classic, a three-day event featuring WMU, SIUE and Canisius. The Broncos face SIUE on Friday night and Canisius on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars and Golden Griffins meet in a neutral site matchup on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 85-65 loss at Butler on Monday. Western Michigan found itself trailing by just two heading into the break, but the Bulldogs tallied 16 of the first 18 points after halftime, and withstood a WMU run to pick up the win. Donovan Williams led the Broncos in both scoring (17) and rebounding (9) in the contest. 

DONOVAN GETTING IT DONE
Donovan Williams paced the Brown and Gold in both scoring (17) and rebounding (9) on Monday night. The graduate transfer from Pacific has led Western Michigan in scoring in two of the first three games. Williams has been getting to the line at a very high rate, ranking second in the MAC in both free throw attempts and makes. He went 9-for-9 at the charity stripe against Butler. 

TURNOVER TAKEAWAYS
Turnovers have been a key part of Western Michigan's defensive efforts to start the season. The Broncos forced 11 Butler miscues on Monday, while only turning it over five times themselves. WMU's five turnovers were its fewest in a game since coughing it up just four times in a 108-92 win over Bowling Green on Jan. 14, 2023. With their penchant for turning their opponents over on defense and protecting the ball on offense, the Brown and Gold are atop the league and top-50 in the nation in turnover margin at +6.0 per game. WMU is also second in the league with a 1.50 assist-to-turnover ratio.

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 in 2024-25, averaging 8.7 rebounds per game, the third-best mark in the league so far this season. The senior's efforts helped Western Michigan secure a season-high 16 offensive rebounds on Monday night at Butler.

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
After hitting four on Monday against Butler, the Broncos have made at least one three-pointer in 426 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season. Both Markhi Strickland and EJ Ryans have been among the top sharpshooters in the conference thus far, with Strickland tied for third at 60.0 percent and Ryans tied for sixth at 57.1 percent.

WMU VS THE OVC AND MAAC
WMU has not played a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) since a 63-52 victory over Tennessee State on Nov. 11, 2013, to win the 2013 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts Rainbow Classic. The most recent encounter with a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe for the Broncos was a 59-58 win at Manhattan on Dec. 14, 2019. 

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan and SIUE have met just once prior to Friday night, with the Cougars winning, 83-72, on Nov. 16, 2018, in Charleston, S.C. WMU is 1-3 all-time against Canisius, with the teams having not met since a home-and-home in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

THE OPPONENTS
SIUE evened its record at 2-2 on Tuesday as it picked up a 77-72 win at Indiana State. Ray'Sean Taylor is leading the Cougars in scoring thus far at 17.0 points per game, and is also handing out a team-high 4.5 assists per contest. As a team, SIUE is atop the OVC and 17th in the nation at 16.3 offensive rebounds per game. Canisius enters the weekend in search of its first win of the young season after falling to Mercyhurst in its most recent contest on Wednesday. Paul McMillan IV is averaging 23.7 points per game for the Golden Griffins, second-best in the MAAC and 22nd in the nation. 

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan continues the Bronco Classic on Sunday at noon against Canisius, and then wraps up its homestand on Wednesday against South Dakota.