MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Western Michigan University women's basketball team were a minute shy of evening the series against the Central Michigan Chippewas in a 70-67 loss on Saturday afternoon.

The Broncos came out sprinting at McGuirk Arena, taking an early lead over Central Michigan. But through the second half, the lead was traded seven times with five separate ties. Two fouls in the final 40 seconds of the game was the difference maker as WMU didn't score after 54 seconds on the clock. A trio of Brown and Gold players ended the afternoon in double figures with senior guard Alli Carlson leading the way with 16. She was closely followed by sophomore guard Kailey Starks with 14, and junior guard Nile Muguira Orbe with 13.

It was a back-and-forth game early on the floor as the teams tied twice in the first five minutes. After the five-minute mark, Western Michigan's offense exploded, going on an 11-2 run to take a nine point lead. The Broncos continued to pile on the points in the final three minutes of the quarter, taking a 10-point lead into the second, while tying their best first quarter scoring performance with 22 points.

WMU kept a multiple possession lead through more than half of the second quarter. The Brown and Gold had their largest lead of the game at 4:30 in the second with a 12-point advantage. But Western Michigan's offense went cold for just under the final four minutes of the first half, letting Central Michigan get within three points by halftime.

The first lead change of the second half came early as the Broncos first field goal came at 7:37 with a layup to go back in front. A three from redshirt senior forward De'Ahna Richardson returned it to a two-possession lead. The scoring went back and forth over the next two minutes with another tie right at the five-minute mark. Carlson scored the Brown and Gold's next eight points to keep Western Michigan in front. But a last second and-one play for the Chippewas made it a one-point game in CMU's favor going into the fourth quarter.

Central Michigan opened the fourth on a four-point run to take its largest lead of the game. But a seven-two run got the Broncos back within a point with just over five minutes on the clock. Shortly after WMU took a one-point lead at 4:28 on an Ariana Wilkes layup that was followed by a steal and another layup to make it a three-point lead.

The game was tied once again on a traditional three-point play with just over three minutes to go. The Chippewas took a basket lead two more times, but the Brown and Gold were able to get back in front with under a minute to go on a D'Myjah Bolds and-one. But that would be the last points of the game for Western Michigan as CMU made four free throws in the final 40 seconds to make it a 70-67 final.

The Broncos matched their season high in made three-pointers against the Chippewas with 10 triples. Muguira led the team behind the arc with three treys while three other players had two each. Starkes tied her career high under the glass, leading WMU with nine rebounds while also having a team-high three steals.

The Brown and Gold remain on the road for the next week. Western Michigan will play Bowling Green at the Stroh Center on Wednesday, Feb. 18. It will be a homecoming for Head Coach Kate Achter, who was a four-year player for the Falcons and remains their all-time program's assist leader. Tip-off at Bowling Green is set for 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.