KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team begins a three-game road swing on Tuesday night as it visits Kent State. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (8-14, 5-5 MAC) at Kent State (11-11, 4-6)

Date/Time: Tuesday, Feb. 6 – 7 pm

Site: M.A.C. Center (Kent, Ohio)

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: SIDEARM

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan begins a three-game road swing on Tuesday at Kent State.
• The Broncos are coming off of a 77-67 home loss to Ball State on Saturday. 
• Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro led WMU with 21 points, which tied his career high.
• JaVaughn Hannah tallied a season-high 18 points and is averaging 10.4 points per game in conference play. 
• WMU won the rebounding battle 40-27, with Anthony Crump pulling down a season-high 11 boards to lead the way.
• In MAC play, WMU leads the league in total rebounding (38.8), rebounding margin (+5.1) and offensive rebounding (12.5).
• Kent State owns a 69-58 advantage in the all-time series against Western Michigan, including a 43-17 mark at home.
• WMU has dropped five straight in the series, with its last win over Kent State coming on Jan. 18, 2020.
• The last road win in the series for the Broncos came on Jan. 23, 2014. 

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
Western Michigan begins a three-game road trip on Tuesday night as it visits Kent State. The three-game excursion will see the Broncos cover more than 1,300 miles in the next two weeks before finally returning to Kalamazoo on Feb. 20 to face Miami. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos endured their third straight defeat on Saturday afternoon as they fell to Ball State, 77-67, at University Arena. Three players scored in double-figures for WMU, led by Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro, who tied his career high with 21 points. 

HANNAH HEATING UP
Making his second straight start on Saturday, JaVaughn Hannah poured in a season-high 18 points against Ball State. Five of his seven double-digit scoring performances have comes against MAC opponents, with the sophomore averaging 10.4 points on 41.8 percent shooting in league play.

CRUMP CRASHES THE BOARDS
Anthony Crump led the Broncos in rebounding for the seventh time on Saturday as he secured a season-high 11 against BSU. The graduate student forward is tied with teammate Owen Lobsinger for ninth in the league in rebounding at 6.1 per game. Crump has ramped up his rebounding efforts in conference games, having secured seven or more rebounds in seven of WMU's 10 league games, with both of his double-doubles coming against MAC foes. In conference play, he is sixth in overall rebounding (7.6) and offensive rebounding (2.1), and seventh with 5.5 defensive boards per contest.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Led by the efforts of Crump and Lobsinger, Western Michigan sits atop the MAC in both offensive rebounding (12.5/game) and offensive rebounding percentage (.343), while ranking second in overall rebounding (37.8) and rebounding margin (+3.1). In MAC play, the Broncos have upped their rebounding game to rank atop the conference in overall rebounding (38.8), rebounding margin (+5.1), offensive rebounding (12.5) and offensive rebounding percentage (.345).

SHARING IS CARING
Western Michigan enters the week ranking third in the conference in assists per game both overall (14.0) and in conference play (14.6). 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 seventh (3.4) and White eighth (3.2) in the league. The two are both in the top-4 in assist-to-turnover ratio as well, with De La Cruz Monegro third (1.8) and White fourth (1.7). De La Cruz Monegro has had at least four assists in five straight games to boost his average in MAC games up to 3.9 (5th), while White sits eighth in league play at 3.4. Both have improved their assist-to-turnover ratios against conference foes as well, with White second (2.5) and De La Cruz Monegro currently ranking sixth (2.1). 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
Led by Seth Hubbard's 2.4 three-pointers per game, second-most in the MAC, Western Michigan is fourth in the league with 8.0 triples per contest. Owen Lobsinger has been WMU's most efficient three-point shooter, as he's hitting 41.3 percent for the season, 10th-best in the conference, and 46.7 percent in league play, which is the fourth-highest mark. The Broncos have made at least one three-pointer in 413 consecutive games dating back to 2011. 

SERIES HISTORY
Kent State has won five straight against Western Michigan to take a 69-58 advantage in the all-time series. The Broncos' last victory over KSU came on Jan. 18, 2020, at University Arena. The Golden Flashes have been especially dominant at home, owning a 43-17 mark against WMU in Kent. Western Michigan has dropped six straight on the road against Kent State, with the last win at the M.A.C. Center coming on Jan. 23, 2014. 

FOCUS ON THE FLASHES
Kent State is coming off of an 83-52 win at Buffalo on Friday, its third straight MAC road win. KSU has been the best three-point shooting team in conference play, hitting from distance at a rate of 38.6 percent and with four players ranking among the top-15 in three-point percentage against MAC foes.

THE ROAD AHEAD
WMU continues its road trip on Saturday as it steps outside of conference play to take on Southern Miss in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.