AMHERST, Mass. – The Western Michigan University women's basketball team began Mid-American Conference play with a 73-40 loss to the UMass Minutewomen.

After a week off for the holidays, the Broncos shook off the rust in their first conference game of the season in Massachusetts. For the second game in a row senior guard Alli Carlson led WMU on the floor with another double figure outing. Carlson ended the final game of 2025 with 16 points, three rebounds, and an assist for the Brown and Gold. Sophomore guard Kailey Starks led Western Michigan on defense with five rebounds while also adding two assists and a steal.

It was a defensive start early as the team's battled in the paint for rebounds. The Broncos took over midway through the quarter as Carlson began to get hot behind the arc for the second-straight game. In the first quarter the senior guard hit three treys, giving WMU two separate leads. But a cold spell for the final four minutes put UMass in front 18-11.

The offense continued to struggle in the second quarter, letting the Minutewomen pull away on a 13-point run. The Brown and Gold's first points of the second quarter came from senior forward Mary Clare Brusek with a layup at the 5:21 mark. It would be two minutes before another Western Michigan bucket from junior guard Nile Muguira Orbe. The Broncos added four more points before the end of the half, all from Carlson to head into the locker room trailing 41-20.

WMU had a tough time on the floor in the third quarter against UMass. The Brown and Gold scored their lowest points in a quarter with only four points in the third. Muguira and freshman forward Emma Dibarboure put points on the board in the third frame. Western Michigan's offense fared better in the fourth quarter, opening the final frame with a made free throw from senior forward Ariana Wilkes.

The Broncos first field goal of the fourth two minutes later from sophomore forward D'Myjah Bolds. WMU added two more threes in the last quarter of the afternoon from Carlson and sophomore guard Alli Harness. The Brown and Gold got to the 40-point threshold before the final buzzer sounded at the Mullins Center.

Western Michigan returns to University Arena for its first home conference game of 2026 on Saturday afternoon. The Broncos will take on the Buffalo Bulls to ring in the new year on Jan. 3 at 1 p.m.