KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon as it visits Campbell.
GAME INFO
Matchup: Western Michigan (1-1) at Campbell (0-2)
Date/Time: Sunday, Nov. 9 – 12:30 pm
Site: Gore Arena (Buies Creek, N.C.)
Video: FloCollege
Radio: Bronco Media Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
OPENING TIP
- Western Michigan hits the road for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon as it visits Campbell.
- The Broncos are coming off of an 85-81 loss to Northwood on Thursday night.
- Jayden Brewer tallied 24 points and 12 rebounds to collect the third double-double of his collegiate career.
- Jalen Griffith went 7-of-8 from the floor to net a career-high 23 points.
- Max Burton nearly had a double-double with 13 points and nine boards.
- The Broncos are averaging 34.0 free throw attempts per game, third-most in the MAC and 28th in NCAA Division I.
- Western Michigan is second in the league and 26th in DI in made free throws (25.0).
- Sunday's game marks the first-ever meeting between WMU and Campbell.
- The Broncos have not met a current CAA member since the 2015-16 season.
- The Fighting Camels were picked seventh in the CAA preseason coaches poll.
ROAD TRIP
Western Michigan hits the road on Sunday for its first road trip of the season at Campbell. It is the first of 16 road games this season for the Brown and Gold.
LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of an 85-81 loss to Northwood on Thursday night.
Jayden Brewer posted a double-double (24 points, 12 rebounds), while
Jalen Griffith came off of the bench to score a career-high 23 points.
Max Burton nearly had a double-double of his own, posting 13 points and nine boards.
JAYDEN'S BREW
FIU transfer
Jayden Brewer has made an immediate impact in his first two games for the Brown and Gold, and posted 24 points and 12 rebounds on Thursday against Northwood to collect the third double-double of his collegiate career. The senior has paced WMU on the glass in each of his first two games and is one of three players in the MAC to be averaging double-digit rebounds during the first week of the season.
GRIFFITH GETS BUCKETS
Navarro College transfer
Jalen Griffith has made his presence felt as well in his first two games as a Bronco, scoring in double-figures in both contests. On Thursday, the junior went 7-for-8 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, to net a career-high 23 points. At 19.0 points per game, Griffith leads Western Michigan and ranks sixth in the conference in scoring.
TAKE IT TO THE MAX
Returning forward
Max Burton has been filling up the stats sheet in the first two games of the new season. After posting a career-high seven assists as part of the first 10-5-5 game of his career on Monday, Burton came just shy of a double-double on Thursday, collecting 13 points and nine rebounds. The Williamston, Mich., native ranks eighth in the league at 7.5 rebounds per contest.
GETTING TO THE LINE
After getting to the free throw line 35 times in Monday's season-opening victory over Coastal Carolina, the Broncos were right back on the attack on Thursday, attempting 33 free throws against Northwood. With an average of 34.0 free throw attempts per game, Western Michigan ranks third in the conference and 28th in NCAA Division I. WMU's 25.0 made free throws per game are second-most in the MAC and 26th in DI.
BRAND NEW BRONCOS
Entering the season, 12 of the 15 players on WMU's roster had yet to see the floor in a regular season game for the Brown and Gold. Eight players made their debuts for the Broncos in Monday's season opener, including the starting trio of
Jayden Brewer,
Trey Lewis and
Hudson Ward.
Jalen Griffith and
Declan Peterson came off of the bench for Western Michigan, as did the freshman trio of
Sharod Barnes,
Brady Swartz and
Carson Vis, who all made their collegiate debuts.
Nicholas Errica saw the first action of his collegiate career on Thursday.
DIALING LONG DISTANCE
WMU comes into Sunday having made at least one three-pointer in 457 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Western Michigan and Campbell.
BRONCOS VS THE CAA
The Broncos have played very few games in their history against current members of the Coastal Athletic Association. Western Michigan has played a total of 13 games against current members of the 13-team league, and none since the 2015-16 season. That year, WMU played both UNC Wilmington and Northeastern, falling to UNCW on the road and defeating NU at home.
COVERING THE CAMELS
Sunday is the Home Opener for Campbell, which started the season with power conferences losses at #24 Wisconsin and at West Virginia. DJ Smith is leading the Fighting Camels in scoring at 17.0 points per game, while Chris Fields Jr. is averaging a double-double (11.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG). CU was picked seventh in the CAA preseason coaches poll.
ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo on Wednesday night as it welcomes Purdue Fort Wayne to University Arena.
