FARGO, N.D. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team dropped a 98-62 decision to North Dakota State in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon.
 
Chansey Willis Jr. led WMU (3-7) with a game-high 22 points and handed out five assists. Also in double-figures for the Broncos was Marquese Josephs, who netted a career-high 12 points. Owen Lobsinger collected a team-high seven rebounds.
 
After Markhi Strickland gave Western Michigan the first points of the afternoon on the game's opening possession, North Dakota State (10-4) answered with 16 of the next 18 to seize control early, 16-4. At 16-7, the Bison reeled off 11 in a row to expand the margin to 27-7 with 11 minutes remaining in the opening period.
 
With NDSU's advantage at 47-22, the Broncos got a Lobsinger triple and a Willis old-fashioned three-point play to close the gap to 47-28 in the final minute of the stanza. The Bison then scored at the buzzer to take a 49-28 lead into the locker room.
 
The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with NDSU opening the period with a 10-2 run to boost its cushion to 59-30. The hosts' lead did not dip below 20 after halftime.
 
Western Michigan went 24-of-62 (38.7 percent) for the afternoon, while North Dakota State hit 38-of-55 (69.1 percent) from the floor in the contest. The Broncos were plus-four in turnover differential, forcing the Bison into 11 while only turning it only over seven times themselves. It was the sixth game with single-digit turnovers for WMU so far this season.
 
The Broncos return to University Arena for their final game before the holiday break on Friday, Dec., 20 as they host Valparaiso at 1 pm. For tickets to any WMU men's basketball home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.