KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team wraps up the month of November on Saturday afternoon as it visits Valparaiso.
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (3-4) at Valparaiso (4-2)

Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 29 – 3 pm

Site: Athletics-Recreation Center (Valparaiso, Ind.)

Video: ESPN+

Radio: Bronco Media Network

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan hits the road on Saturday afternoon to take on Valparaiso.
• The Broncos are coming off of an 83-60 win over Mount St. Mary's on Sunday afternoon at University Arena.
• Jalen Griffith netted a career-high 30 points to lead the way for the Broncos.
• In his first career start, Brady Swartz was also in double-figures with 16 points.
• The Mountaineers' 60 points were the fewest allowed by the Western Michigan defense so far this season.
• WMU was a season-best plus-11 in turnover differential, and committed a season-low six turnovers in the contest.
• Western Michigan owns a 40-30 all-time record against Valparaiso.
• The Beacons have won four straight meetings, including a 76-73 victory on Dec. 20 of last year at University Arena.
• Western Michigan's last win in the series was an overtime triumph on Feb. 17, 2007, at University Arena.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Following its home win on Sunday against Mount St. Mary's, Western Michigan heads right back out on the road on Saturday to face Valparaiso. The Broncos are in the midst of a stretch of five out of seven on the road that will see them play just twice at home in a little more than a month's time.

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 83-60 victory over Mount St. Mary's on Sunday at University Arena. WMU took a four-point advantage into halftime, and then outpaced the Mountaineers 45-26 after the break to grab its largest margin of victory in 2025-26. Jalen Griffith led Western Michigan with a career-high 30 points, while Brady Swartz added 16 in his first career start.

GRIFF GETS BUCKETS
Junior guard Jalen Griffith was hot right from the outset on Sunday, going 10-for-14 from the field and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc to net a career-high 30 points. Griffith also hit all five of his free throw attempts against the Mountaineers to boost his free throw percentage to 85.7 percent, tied for seventh-best in the conference. The Navarro College transfer has been in double-figures in four of his six games for the Brown and Gold, and comes into the weekend ranked sixth in the MAC in scoring at 16.8 points per game.

DEFENSE GETS IT DONE
Western Michigan had its best defensive outing of the young season on Sunday, holding Mount St. Mary's to 60 points, 26 points in the second half and 21 total made field goals, all of which were season-lows for the Bronco defense. WMU also forced a season-high 17 turnovers while committing a season-low six to post a season-best, plus-11 turnover margin.

SIZZLIN' SWARTZ
Freshman Brady Swartz made the first start of his collegiate career on Sunday afternoon and responded with 16 points and a team-high tying six rebounds for the Brown and Gold. It marked the third time in the last four games he has scored in double-figures. Swartz has been incredibly efficient, shooting 55.0 percent overall from the floor and 54.5 percent from three-point range, the fourth-best mark in the conference.

B'S ON THE BOARDS
Having won the rebounding battle in six of its first seven games this season, Western Michigan comes into Saturday as the second-best rebounding team in the conference at 39.1 per game. Leading the charge on the glass for the Broncos are Jayden Brewer (7.7 RPG, 5th) and Max Burton (6.7, 11th), who have combined four for double-doubles so far this season. 

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
WMU enters Saturday having made at least one three-pointer in 462 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season. The Broncos hit a season-high nine triples in Sunday's victory over Mount St. Mary's. Brady Swartz has been the leading sharpshooter for the Broncos and has hit 54.5 percent from long range, the fourth-best mark in the conference.

WMU VS THE VALLEY
The Broncos had not played teams from the Missouri Valley Conference much in recent years until home-and-home series against Valparaiso and UIC in the last few seasons. WMU has lost five straight to MVC foes, with the most recent victory coming against Drake in Kalamazoo on Nov. 22, 2014.

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan enters Saturday with a 40-30 all-time lead in the series against Valparaiso. The Beacons have won each of the last four meetings, including rallying late for a 76-73 victory on Dec. 20, 2024, at University Arena. WMU's last overall win in the series came in overtime back on Feb. 17, 2007, in Kalamazoo, and its last win at Valpo was all the way back on Dec. 5, 1989.

SCOUTING THE BEACONS
Valparaiso enters Saturday 4-2 after losing to Southern Indiana on Wednesday. Rakim Chaney leads Valpo at 16.0 points per game behind efficient shooting, leading the MVC in three-point percentage (48.4) and ranking second in field goal percentage (53.3).

ON THE HORIZON
The Broncos return to University Arena on Wednesday night to host Southern Indiana.