KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Senior Justice Williams tallied a career-high 29 points, but Western Michigan could not quite erase a double-digit, second-half deficit in an 85-82 loss to UMass on Tuesday night at University Arena.
 
Williams netted his career-high 29 points on 10-of-13 shooting, which included 5-of-8 from three-point range. The senior also collected five rebounds, three assists and a career-high three three steals. Also in double-figures for Western Michigan (7-10, 1-4 MAC) were EJ Ryans and Brady Swartz, who tallied 12 points apiece. Declan Peterson paced the Broncos on the glass with a career-high six.
 
The first half was back and forth, with the lead changing hands 14 times in the opening frame. The largest advantage for either side came at the 13:27 mark, when Williams' second three-pointer of the early going put the Broncos ahead 14-10. UMass (11-7, 2-4) held a three-point edge numerous times, and the visitors were up 36-35 at the break.  
 
The Minutemen scored the first 14 points as part of a 17-2 surge out of the locker room to open up a 53-37 advantage. Williams scored eight straight for Western Michigan early in the second half, and hit back-to-back triples to close the gap to 53-43 with just under 14 minutes remaining.
 
The Broncos continued to chip away, using a 10-3 stretch to whittle the margin down to 60-56 just past the halfway mark of the period. After UMass built its advantage back to eight, 66-58, Ryans answered with a pair of three-pointers to bring the Brown and Gold back to within two, 66-64. WMU closed the gap to two numerous times in the final minutes, but the Minutemen held on for the victory.
 
Both teams shot an identical 47.5 percent (29-of-61) from the field for the evening. As they did in Saturday's comeback win over Eastern Michigan, the Broncos got hot from behind the arc in the second half, hitting 50.0 percent (9-of-18) from three-point range after halftime. Western Michigan made a total of 12 triples for the night, tying its season high.
 
WMU hits the road on Saturday afternoon to take on Akron. Tip is slated for 2 pm on ESPN+.