MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team fell into an early hole that it never climbed out of, as it dropped a 69-42 decision at Central Michigan on Saturday night in Mount Pleasant.  
 
B. Artis White was the lone player to score in double-figures for Western Michigan (8-17, 5-7 MAC), as he netted 12 points. Owen Lobsinger secured a game-high 10 rebounds, his sixth double-digit rebounding performance of the season.
 
Central Michigan (15-10, 9-3) got out to a quick start, scoring 11 of the game's first 13 points on the way to seizing a 20-5 advantage in the opening five-plus minutes. The margin got as high as 20, 31-11, in the opening period before a 10-3 stretched helped the Broncos close the gap to 34-21. CMU tallied the last six points of the half to take a 40-21 cushion into the locker room.
 
The second half brought with it more struggles for Western Michigan. The visitors got as close as 46-29 at the 15:48 mark, but the Chippewas countered with the next eight points and kept WMU at bay for the rest of the evening.
 
WMU had a tough night shooting, as it went 15-for-69 (21.7 percent) from the field. Central Michigan made 25-of-58 (43.1 percent) from the field in the contest.
 
Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo for four of the final six games of the regular season, starting on Tuesday night, Feb. 20, as it welcomes Miami to University Arena at 7 pm. For tickets to any home WMU men's basketball game this season, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.