VERMILLION, S.D. – Both
Jayden Brewer and
Max Burton registered double-doubles, but it was not enough for the Western Michigan men's basketball team to hold off a late rally from South Dakota in an 83-78 loss on Sunday.
Brewer collected his second straight double-double and third in his first five games, tallying a team-leading 20 points and securing 10 rebounds. Burton posted 10 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season and the second of his Western Michigan career.
Trey Lewis (12) and
Carson Vis (11) both scored in double-figures as well for the Broncos (2-3).
Western Michigan got off to a fast start, tallying 10 of the game's first 12 points. At the 13:24 mark of the first half, Lewis hit WMU's first three-pointer of the afternoon to increase the margin to 17-8, the largest of the day for either side.
After the next four points went to South Dakota (3-2), the two teams proceeded to go back and forth until the Coyotes ripped off 11 consecutive points to move in front for the first time, 36-32, with just under four minutes to go in the period. Vis got the Broncos level at 38-38, but a USD basket in the final seconds of the half put the home team up 40-38 at the break.
The Brown and Gold started fast again in the second half, getting back-to-back three-pointers from Lewis and Brewer as part of an 8-0 run to regain the advantage, 46-40. With 13:40 to play, Brewer drove to the basket for a layup to restore WMU's nine-point cushion, 56-47. The Coyotes answered with the next seven, whittling it back down to a two-point game, 56-54, with 12 minutes remaining.
Once again the Broncos and Coyotes fell into a pattern of trading baskets, with Western Michigan's edge vacillating between two and seven for an eight-minute stretch. With 4:32 to play, Brewer made a layup to make it 78-72 in favor of the Brown and Gold. The senior's basket was the final of the contest for WMU, with South Dakota tallying the final 11 points of the afternoon to claim the victory.
The Broncos made a season-high 53.3 percent (32-of-60) of their field goal attempts and went 9-for-11 (81.8 percent) from the foul line. South Dakota hit 42.4 percent from the floor (28-of-66). WMU held a double-digit rebounding advantage for the second straight game, outdueling the Coyotes on the boards 41-27.
Western Michigan continues its road stretch on Thursday night as it heads down to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State. Tip is set for 8 pm on Big Ten Network.
