KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team resumes MAC play on Saturday night as it heads up to Mount Pleasant to renew its rivalry with Central Michigan. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (8-16, 5-6 MAC) at Central Michigan (14-10, 8-3)

Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 17 – 7 pm

Site: McGuirk Arena (Mount Pleasant, Mich.)

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: SIDEARM
 

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan resumes MAC play on Saturday night as it visits rival CMU.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 86-54 loss at Southern Miss last Saturday in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. 
• Seth Hubbard paced the Brown and Gold with a team-high 17 points against USM.
• Hubbard went 10-for-11 at the foul line, setting new career highs in both free throws made and attempted.
• Anthony Crump had eight rebounds to lead the team on the glass for the fourth consecutive contest. 
• In MAC games, WMU leads the conference in total rebounding (38.4), offensive rebounding (12.5) and offensive rebounding percentage (.351).
• Western Michigan enters Saturday with a 95-57 lead in the all-time series.
• The last win in Mount Pleasant for the Broncos came on Feb. 6, 2021.
• CMU won this season's first meeting, 62-55, on Jan. 27 at University Arena.

 
RENEWING THE RIVALRY
Western Michigan heads up to Mount Pleasant on Saturday night to face rival Central Michigan for the second time this season. The Broncos are looking to avenge a 62-55 home loss to CMU late last month. 

LAST TIME OUT
WMU is coming off of an 86-54 loss at Southern Miss in its second game of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Seth Hubbard set career highs in both free throws made (10) and attempted (11) on his way to a team-high 17 points. Owen Lobsinger chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds for the afternoon.

CRUMP CRASHES THE BOARDS
Anthony Crump led the Broncos in rebounding for the fourth straight game and ninth time overall last Saturday as he secured eight boards at Southern Miss. The graduate student forward has climbed his way into eighth in the league at 6.5 boards per game and is tied for fifth in conference play, averaging 8.0 rebounds against MAC foes. 

CLEANING THE GLASS
Led by the efforts of Crump and Owen Lobsinger, who is 10th in the conference at 6.2 rebounds per game, Western Michigan sits atop the MAC in both offensive rebounding (12.3/game) and offensive rebounding percentage (.341). The Broncos are also second in the league in both overall rebounding (37.2) and rebounding margin (+2.7). WMU has taken its rebounding efforts up a level in conference play, as it leads the league in total rebounding (38.4), offensive rebounding (12.5) and offensive rebounding percentage (.351), and is second in the MAC in rebounding margin (+5.4) in league contests. 

SHARING IS CARING
Western Michigan enters the weekend ranking third in the conference in assists per game at 13.6. The backcourt duo of Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro and B. Artis White has led the way for the Brown and Gold, with De La Cruz Monegro handing out four or more in seven straight games to climb up to sixth in the MAC at 3.5 per contest and White right on his heels in eighth at 3.2. The two are both in the top-4 in assist-to-turnover ratio as well, with White third (1.73) and De La Cruz Monegro right behind in fourth (1.68). In MAC games, WMU is averaging 14.2 assists per contest (3rd), with De La Cruz Monegro averaging an even 4.0 per game with a 1.76 assist-to-turnover ratio, with both marks ranking as fifth-best in the league. 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
WMU is the only team in the MAC to boast three players among the league's top-15 in made three-pointers. Seth Hubbard leads the way at 2.4 per contest (2nd), while B. Artis White is 14th (1.7) and Owen Lobsinger is tied for 15th (1.7). The Broncos have made at least one three-pointer in 415 straight games dating back to 2011.

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan enters Saturday with a 95-57 lead in the all-time series against Central Michigan. The series has been tight over the years in Mount Pleasant, with CMU holding a 33-29 edge on its home floor. The Chippewas have won the last two meetings at McGuirk Arena, with WMU's last road win in the series coming on Feb. 6, 2021.

WHEN LAST WE MET
The two rivals met just three weeks ago in Kalamazoo, with Central Michigan coming away with a 62-55 victory. Owen Lobsinger posted his second career double-double in the setback as he totaled 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro filled up the stat sheet to the tune of six points, six rebounds and nine assists, one shy of his career high. 

SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS
CMU has won three of four since the first meeting between the two teams, including a pair of overtime conference wins. The Chippewas have the third-best overall scoring defense in the MAC (71.0 PPG) and are limiting their opponents to 66.6 points per game in league play, the second-best mark.

ON THE HORIZON
After having not played a home game since Feb. 3, Western Michigan has four of its final six regular season games at home, starting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, as it hosts Miami.