KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team takes the national stage on Friday evening when it welcomes undefeated #21 Miami to University Arena on CBS Sports Network. Friday night is a GOLD OUT at University Arena, with Bronco fans encouraged to match the team and wear gold.
GAME INFO
Matchup: Western Michigan (10-18, 4-11 MAC) vs #21 Miami (28-0, 15-0)
Date/Time: Friday, Feb. 27 – 6 pm
Site: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets
Video: CBS Sports Network
Radio: Bronco Media Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
OPENING TIP
- Western Michigan returns to University Arena on Friday night to take on undefeated #21 Miami on CBS Sports Network.
- It is WMU's first nationally-televised home game since facing Akron on CBSSN for its Senior Night in March of 2024.
- Friday also marks the first time the Broncos have hosted a top-25 team since facing #16 Buffalo on Jan. 15, 2019.
- Western Michigan is looking for its first victory over a ranked opponent since topping #25 Davidson on Nov. 21, 2007.
- The Broncos are coming off of a critical 88-79 win at Bowling Green on Tuesday.
- A season-high five players scored in double-figures, led by Carson Vis and Justice Williams with 17 points apiece.
- Miami owns a 90-53 advantage in the all-time series coming into Friday night.
- The RedHawks won this season's first meeting, 87-76, back on Jan. 6 in Oxford.
- Western Michigan has beaten Miami in Kalamazoo each of the last two seasons.
HOME SWEET HOME
Western Michigan returns to University Arena on Friday night to begin its final homestand of the season against #21 Miami.
TAKING THE NATIONAL STAGE
Friday night's contest between the Broncos and undefeated RedHawks will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, marking WMU's first nationally-televised home game since March 8, 2024. That night on CBSSN, Western Michigan celebrated its Senior Night with a come-from-behind victory against Akron to punch its ticket to the 2024 MAC Tournament.
WMU VS THE TOP-25
Miami is Western Michigan's second top-25 opponent of the season, with the Brown and Gold having visited #23 Iowa back in December. It is the first time WMU has faced a ranked opponent at home since #16 Buffalo came to University Arena back on Jan. 15, 2019. The Broncos are in search of their first victory over a ranked foe since knocking off a Stephen Curry-led #25 Davidson on Nov. 21, 2007, in Kalamazoo.
LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a critical 88-79 win at Bowling Green on Tuesday to keep their MAC Tournament hopes alive. A season-high five players scored in double-figures for WMU, led by the duo of
Carson Vis and
Justice Williams, who netted 17 points apiece.
Sharod Barnes tallied a career-high 15 points, while
Jayden Brewer and
EJ Ryans added 14 points apiece. Brewer also collected 12 rebounds to post his team-leading sixth double-double of the season.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Jayden Brewer tallied 14 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday night's victory at Bowling Green. For the season, the senior leads Western Michigan in double-digit scoring performances (17), double-digit rebounding games (7) and double-doubles (6). Brewer's 12 rebounds on Tuesday moved his season average to a team-leading 6.7 per game, the eighth-highest mark in the conference.
BALANCED BRONCOS
Western Michigan has featured a balanced attack all season long, and it was on full display in Tuesday's win at BGSU, with a season-high five players scoring in double-figures. With
Sharod Barnes netting a career-high 15 points, he became the 12th different Bronco to score in double-figures at least once this season, while five have posted at least one game with 20 or more points.
Jayden Brewer has led the charge with 17 double-digit scoring performances for WMU. Six different players have been the top scorer in a game this season, led by Brewer and
Jalen Griffith, who have paced the Brown and Gold in scoring eight times apiece.
BENCH BOOST
WMU's depth of scoring has led it to having one of the top bench units in the nation, with the Brown and Gold currently leading the MAC and ranked 38th in NCAA Division I at 29.5 bench points per game. With his career-high 15 points on Tuesday,
Sharod Barnes became the 10th different player to score in double-figures in a game off of the Bronco bench, with
Jayden Brewer,
Jalen Griffith,
Brady Swartz (twice) and
Justice Williams all having posted a 20-plus point scoring performance off of the bench this season.
SERIES HISTORY
Miami enters Friday night's contest with a 90-53 lead in the all-time series between the two programs, including an 87-76 win in Oxford back on Jan. 6. The Broncos have beaten the RedHawks in Kalamazoo each of the last two seasons, including handing them what at the time was just their second conference loss of the season last February.
WHEN LAST WE MET
In this season's first meeting back on Jan. 6 at Millett Hall in Oxford, Western Michigan held an early second-half lead over the RedHawks before the hosts pulled away in the latter stages of the contest to claim an 87-76 victory.
Jayden Brewer nearly had a double-double (19 points, 9 rebounds) to lead the Brown and Gold, and with his first bucket of the night, the senior reached 1,000 points for his collegiate career.
ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan wraps up its regular season home schedule on Tuesday night when it hosts Ball State for Senior Night.
