KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After a thrilling buzzer-beating victory at Ball State on Saturday, the Western Michigan men's basketball team looks to punch its ticket to the MAC Tournament on Tuesday as it welcomes Bowling Green to University Arena.
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (11-18, 8-8 MAC) vs Bowling Green (17-12, 8-8)

Date/Time: Tuesday, March 5 – 7 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan begins its final homestand of the season on Tuesday as it welcomes Bowling Green to Kalamazoo.
• The Broncos can punch their ticket to the MAC Tournament on Tuesday with a win or a Ball State loss to Kent State. 
• Western Michigan is coming off of a 78-76 overtime win at Ball State on Saturday.
• Anthony Crump put in the game-winning layup as time expired in the extra session.
• It was WMU's first overtime road win since the 2019-20 campaign.
• JaVaughn Hannah led WMU in scoring for the second straight game with 17 points.
• The Broncos had five players net double-figures for the third time this season.
• Bowling Green holds a 76-51 lead in the all-time series heading into Tuesday.
• The Falcons are 32-30 all-time in Kalamazoo, but Western Michigan won the most recent meeting at home, 108-92, last year.
• BGSU won this season's first meeting, 84-79, at the Stroh Center back on Jan. 20.

HOME SWEET HOME
Western Michigan closes out the regular season with a pair of home games, starting on Tuesday night against Bowling Green. WMU then welcomes Akron to town on Friday for its Senior Night. Friday's contest will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos took a large step towards securing a MAC Tournament berth on Saturday as they won at Ball State, 78-76, in overtime. Anthony Crump put in the game-winning layup as time expired and was one of five players to score in double-figures for the Brown and Gold. It was Western Michigan's first overtime road win since a triple overtime victory at Milwaukee on Nov. 9, 2019. 

WIN AND YOU'RE IN
After beating Ball State on Saturday, Western Michigan's magic number to clinch a spot in the upcoming MAC Tournament is down to one, meaning the Broncos can secure a spot in Cleveland on Tuesday with a victory over Bowling Green or a Ball State loss to Kent State. WMU is looking to make the conference tournament for the first time since the 2019-20 season and reach Cleveland for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign. 

HANNAH HEATS UP
JaVaughn Hannah led Western Michigan in scoring for the second straight game on Saturday as he netted 17 points. Since joining the starting lineup earlier in MAC play, the sophomore has averaged 11.9 points per game over his eight starts, the second-best average on the team during those games. 

BALANCED BRONCOS
For the third time this season, WMU had five players score in double-figures in Saturday's victory at Ball State. JaVaughn Hannah led the way with 17 points, Titus Wright tied his season high with 14, B. Artis White had 13, Anthony Crump scored 12 and Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro notched 11 points.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Led by Owen Lobsinger (9th, 6.2) and Anthony Crump (10th, 6.1), Western Michigan ranks second in the MAC in overall rebounding (37.9), third in rebounding margin (+2.8) and leads the conference in offensive rebounding (12.7). The 12.7 offensive rebounds per game rank 31st in NCAA DI. Crump and Lobsinger have helped the Broncos take things up a notch in league play, as WMU sits atop the MAC in both total rebounds (39.3) and offensive boards (13.1), while ranking second in rebounding margin (+4.8). 

SHARING IS CARING
Both B. Artis White and Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro rank among the conference leaders in assists, with White in sixth at 3.4 and De La Cruz Monegro eighth at 3.2. In assist-to-turnover ratio, White's 1.71 mark is third-best, with De La Cruz Monegro right behind in fourth at 1.66. In league play, White's 3.6 assists are sixth and De La Cruz Monegro's 3.3 helpers are seventh. 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
Western Michigan is the lone team in the conference to have three players in the top-15 in made three-pointers. Seth Hubbard is fourth at 2.4 per game, B. Artis White's 1.9 per game are 10th and Owen Lobsinger is in 15th at 1.7 per contest. The Broncos have made at least one three-pointer in 420 straight games dating back to 2011. 

SERIES HISTORY
Bowling Green enters Tuesday night holding a 76-51 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs, including a victory on its home floor over the Broncos back in January. BGSU also has a slight edge in the series in Kalamazoo, 32-30. Western Michigan beat the Falcons, 108-92, last year in the most recent meeting at University Arena.

WHEN LAST WE MET
BGSU won the first meeting between these two teams, 84-79, back on Jan. 20 at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green. In the loss, Owen Lobsinger set a single-game program record for three-pointers without a miss, as he went a perfect 7-for-7 from beyond the arc. Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro went 8-for-14 to net 18 points in the contest. WMU trailed by as many as 16 in the second half but got all the way back to within one before the Falcons pulled the game out late.

ON THE HORIZON
The Broncos will be in the national spotlight for Senior Night on Friday as Akron comes to town for a game that will air on CBSSN.