KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team begins 2025 with its Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday as it welcomes Toledo to University Arena.
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (3-9, 0-0 MAC) vs Toledo (6-6, 0-0)

Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 4 – 12 pm

Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan rings in the new year with its Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday afternoon against Toledo.
• It is the first time WMU has opened league play at home since 2020-21.
• The Broncos have won their first MAC home game four of the last five years.
• Western Michigan is coming off of an 80-62 loss at #18 Michigan State on Monday.
• Chansey Willis Jr. led WMU in points (12), rebounds (7) and assists (6) in the game.
• Willis has had 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in three of his first four games for the Brown and Gold.
• The Broncos lead the MAC in rebounding margin entering Saturday at +5.4.
• Toledo owns a 94-63 mark in the all-time series between the two programs and has won 13 consecutive meetings. 
• WMU's last wins over the Rockets came via a season sweep in 2016-17. 
• Western Michigan holds a 45-32 record in the series on its home floor. 

TIME FOR #MACTION
Western Michigan rings in 2025 with its Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday afternoon as it welcomes Toledo to town.

FOR OPENERS
The Broncos are opening up MAC play at home for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Western Michigan has won its first league home game in four of the last five seasons, including last year when it started off conference play 4-0. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 80-62 loss at #18 Michigan State on Monday afternoon. WMU kept it close for the majority of the contest, including closing the gap to 59-52 with seven minutes to play, before the Spartans pulled away late. Chansey Willis Jr. led Western Michigan in points (12), rebounds (7) and assists (6) for the afternoon.

WILLING HIS WAY TO THE TOP
After missing the first eight games due to injury, Chansey Willis Jr. has made big contributions in his first four games for the Broncos. Against Michigan State, he led the Brown and Gold in points (12), rebounds (7) and assists (6). The 12-7-6 line was already his third game with at least 10+ points, 5+rebounds and 5+ assists this season, making him the lone Bronco to accomplish that feat so far in 2024-25. Willis has led Western Michigan in scoring and rebounding three times and in assists in all four of his games.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
As has been the case in the first two seasons under head coach Dwayne Stephens, rebounding has remained a strength for the Broncos this year. Western Michigan sits atop the MAC with a +5.4 rebounding margin and is also among the league leaders in overall rebounding (38.3, 2nd) and offensive rebounding (12.9, 3rd).

OWEN-ING THE GLASS
After ranking ninth in the MAC in rebounding a season ago, Owen Lobsinger has taken things up a notch so far during his senior campaign, ranking third in the conference at 6.9 rebounds per game. 

GETTING OFFENSIVE
Western Michigan has led the conference in offensive rebounding in each of the first two seasons under head coach Dwayne Stephens'. The Broncos enter Saturday third in the league at 12.9 offensive boards per contest, which ranks 55th in NCAA Division I. WMU currently has three players inside the league's top-13 on the offensive glass, in Max Burton (2.1, T-6), Owen Lobsinger (1.8, T-11) and Michael Sulaka (1.8, 13th).

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
After making seven on Monday at Michigan State, WMU has now made at least one triple in 435 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season. Brandon Muntu is the team's leading sharpshooter at 38.9 percent, tied for the 15th-best mark in the league.

PROTECTING THE ROCK
Despite committing a season-high 17 turnovers in Monday's setback, the Broncos still rank among the nation's best in protecting the basketball, having yielded an average of just 10.6 turnovers per game. Committing single-digit miscues in six of 12 games this season has WMU third in the conference and 54th nationally in turnovers committed.

SERIES HISTORY
Toledo owns a 94-63 mark in the all-time series between the two programs and has won 13 consecutive meetings. WMU's last wins over the Rockets came via a season sweep in 2016-17, with the Broncos winning at home in January and on the road at Savage Arena in overtime a little more than a month later. Western Michigan holds a 45-32 record in the series on its home floor. 

SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
Toledo suffered its third straight loss on Sunday as it also fell on the road to a ranked Big Ten team, #21/25 Purdue, in its final tuneup before the start of MAC play. The Rockets have four players averaging double-digits, led by Sonny Wilson, who is ninth in the league at 15.0 points per game.

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan continues its homestand on Tuesday evening against Bowling Green.