KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan University women's basketball team honored its five graduating players during a 64-48 loss to the Massachusetts Minutewomen.

The Broncos recognized graduating players Lauren Audino, Mary Clare Brusek, Alli Carlson, De'Ahna Richardson, and Ariana Wilkes in front of their largest crowd of the season against UMass. WMU had a hot start to Saturday afternoon's contest but weren't able to contain the Minutewomen's offense in the 64-48 defeat. Carlson and sophomore guard Kailey Starks led the Brown and Gold in scoring with 13 and 10 points respectively. Richardson was Western Michigan's biggest presence under the glass with a team-high nine rebounds.  

Despite the Minutewomen getting the first bucket of the game, the Broncos tore off on a 12-point scoring streak to take an early lead on Saturday afternoon. The big run for WMU was made on 4-of-4 three-point shooting, all of which came from different players. UMass put together a run of its own, making it a four-point Brown and Gold lead with just over four minutes on the clock. Western Michigan got its lead back up to five before the end of the quarter at 16-11.

The Broncos offense went quiet to begin the second as the Minutewomen took their second lead of the game. Carlson broke the WMU drought behind the arc to put the Brown and Gold back within a basket. But Western Michigan wasn't able to sustain a scoring run as UMass took the game to a double figure deficit before the buzzer sounded. The Broncos got one last basket in, going to the locker room down 32-23.

WMU had a similar start to the third quarter as it did the second on offense. The Minutewomen grew their lead to 16 before the Brown and Gold had their first point of the half. Western Michigan had a quick four-point run before going back and forth with UMass for the last four minutes of the quarter to go into the final frame with a 14-point deficit.

 The Broncos opened scoring in the fourth quarter on a made layup. WMU traded points with the Minutewomen in the first part of the quarter. But a six-point run for UMass over the course of a minute and a half had the Brown and Gold down by 20. Junior guard Nile Muguira Orbe had a quick hot streak behind the arc for Western Michigan to end the game, making back-to-back threes for the 64-48 final score.

The Broncos won the battle at the line over 40 minutes on Saturday, missing only one of their free throw attempts for 83%. WMU also beat out the Minutewomen on the offensive boards with nine rebounds, while adding nine second chance points. Carlson and Starks matched a team-high three steals for the Brown and Gold while sophomore forward D'Myjah Bolds recorded the only block of the afternoon.

Western Michigan hosts its final game in University Arena for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday, March 4. The Broncos welcome in the Toledo Rockets to close out in season action in Kalamazoo. Tip-off for Wednesday's game against Toledo is set for 7:00 p.m.