KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Junior guard
Zuri Ransom led the Western Michigan University women's basketball team on offense with a career-high 15 points in a close 61-56 loss to the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons.
Ransom, along with junior guard
Kailey Starks and junior forward
Emily Van Timmeren, all had double figure evenings for the Broncos on Tuesday. But WMU wasn't able to overcome a fourth quarter making only 20% of its field goals (3-15) against Purdue Fort Wayne. The Brown and Gold led for the majority of the game at a little over 27 minutes as they won the turnover battle 13 to 21. Starks helped power Western Michigan in takeaways with five steals in 33 minutes of action.
It was all Mastodons early in the game as the Broncos took a couple of minutes to find their offense. Once WMU got going in the first quarter on a
Casey Vyverman three, the Brown and Gold continued finding ways to score. Vyverman's shot spurred a seven point run shortly before the halfway point of the frame. Purdue Fort Wayne tried to get the game back within a possession, but Western Michigan closed out the first 10 minutes on a six to three advantage led by Van Timmeren leading the contest by four on 50% shooting.
The second quarter began with traded baskets between the Broncos and the Mastodons until Vyverman hit back-to-back threes for an eight point WMU advantage. The Brown and Gold continued to pile on the points through the middle of the second, taking their largest lead of the night after six straight points at 32-20. Western Michigan wasn't quite able to keep its quick production up as the half ended with a nine point run from Purdue Fort Wayne. Despite the run, the Broncos returned to the locker room with the lead as the scoreboard read 32-29.
Early in the second half it was again a basket for basket game between WMU and PFW. The Brown and Gold were able to return to a multiple possession lead, going up by seven on the Mastodons with 7:26 on the clock. But a two and a half minute stretch without a made field goal for Western Michigan led to a tie game with just under five minutes left in the third quarter. After the game was tied at 40 all, neither team was able to make a shot for over two minutes. But it was the Broncos who broke the scoreless drought as they added seven more points before the frame ended, leading 47-43.
WMU had the first points of the final quarter as Ransom made a long jump shot after a minute 15 of action. Ransom's jumper was the Brown and Gold's only made basket over the next five and a half minutes as Purdue Fort Wayne took over on a 14-point run. Western Michigan got back within a possession of the Mastodons with just under three minutes to go as Starks made an and-one followed by a Ransom jump shot. Purdue Fort Wayne answered with a jumper of its own a minute later.
But a foul on the Mastodons shortly after sent Starks to the line where she made both free throws to put the Broncos back within three. Starks free throws with 1:23 on the clock was WMU's last points of the game as the Brown and Gold weren't able to find another three pointer. Two free throws on the opposite end wrapped up the match as Western Michigan fell to Purdue Fort Wayne 61-56.
Along with leading the Bronco offense on 50% shooting from the floor, Ransom led the defense, coming just shy of a double-double with a team-high eight rebounds. Fifth year guard
Alli Carlson had the most helpers for WMU, adding to her career numbers with three more.
The Brown and Gold also had a perfect day at the charity stripe, shooting 100% with 16 made free throws. Western Michigan hasn't had a perfect game from the line in three and a half years, with the last perfect performance coming at Ball State on February 22, 2023 (8-8). You'd have to go back almost a decade for the Broncos last 100% game at the line with 10 or more attempts. WMU made all 16 of its free throws against Central Michigan back on March 1, 2017, also at University Arena.
The first road game of the season for the Brown and Gold is set for this weekend on Sunday afternoon. Western Michigan will pay a return visit to the Dayton Flyers after the two played in Kalamazoo back on December 18, 2025. Dayton took last season's meeting 65-58 and the Broncos will look to repay the favor on November 15. Tip-off from UD Arena this weekend is set for 1 p.m.
