KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team concludes its three-game road stretch on Saturday afternoon as it takes on Texas State in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
GAME INFO
Matchup: Western Michigan (8-14) at Texas State (14-11)
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 7 – 3 pm
Site: Strahan Arena (San Marcos, Texas)
Video: ESPN+
Radio: Bronco Media Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
OPENING TIP
- Western Michigan steps outside of conference play on Saturday afternoon to face Texas State in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
- WMU won its first game of this year's challenge, defeating Coastal Carolina on Opening Night at University Arena.
- The Broncos are coming off of a 91-71 loss at Ohio on Tuesday evening.
- Jayden Brewer paced the Brown and Gold with 20 points in the setback.
- Jalen Griffith tallied 19 points and Carson Vis netted a career-high 14 points.
- Western Michigan committed just six turnovers on Tuesday, tied for its fewest miscues so far this season.
- Saturday afternoon's game marks the first-ever meeting between Western Michigan and Texas State.
- WMU enters Saturday 1-4 in the three years of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, with its lone victory coming earlier this season.
- The MAC won nine of the 13 matchups against the SBC back in November.
END OF THE ROAD
Western Michigan wraps up its three-game road trip on Saturday afternoon as it visits Texas State in the second game of this season's MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a 91-71 loss at Ohio on Tuesday evening.
Jayden Brewer led Western Michigan with 20 points, while
Jalen Griffith tallied 19 points and
Carson Vis netted a career-high 14 points.
LET JAYDEN BREW
Jayden Brewer scored a team-leading 20 points for WMU on Tuesday evening at Ohio. It was the senior's team-leading 13th double-digit scoring performance of the season and his seventh game with at least 20 points. The FIU transfer has also been Western Michigan's top rebounder this season, ranking eighth in the conference at 6.8 rebounds per contest.
BALANCED BRONCOS
Western Michigan has featured a balanced attack all season long, with 11 different Broncos having scored in double-figures at least once, and five having posted at least one game with 20 or more points. Leading the charge with 13 double-digit scoring performances is
Jayden Brewer, with
Jalen Griffith right behind him with 12. Six different players have been WMU's top scorer in a game this season, led by Griffith, who has paced the Brown and Gold eight times.
BENCH BOOST
WMU's depth of scoring has led it to having one of the top bench units in the nation. After getting 39 points from the reserves on Tuesday night, the Brown and Gold lead the MAC and rank 41st in NCAA Division I at 29.8 bench points per game. Nine different players have scored in double-figures in a game off of the Western Michigan 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.
PROTECTING THE ROCK
Western Michigan turned the ball over just six times in Tuesday's contest at Ohio, tying its season low. The Brown and Gold have had single-digit turnovers in two of their last three games.
CLEANING THE GLASS
Always a strong suit under head coach
Dwayne Stephens, WMU continues to rank among the best rebounding teams in the conference, coming into the weekend fourth in the league in overall rebounding at 36.9 per game.
Jayden Brewer and
Max Burton have been one of the top rebounding tandems in the league, with Brewer eighth in the MAC at 6.8 rebounds per game and Burton 12th at 6.0 per contest. In conference play, Western Michigan ranks third in overall rebounding (35.2) and second in offensive rebounding (12.1).
DIALING LONG DISTANCE
WMU enters Saturday having made at least one three-pointer in 477 straight games, dating back to the 2010-11 season.
MAC-SUN BELT CHALLENGE
The third season of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge wraps up on Saturday with a full slate of games between the two conferences. Western Michigan is 1-4 all-time in the challenge, with its lone victory coming against Coastal Carolina back on Opening Night at University Arena. The MAC holds a 9-4 edge in this year's challenge following the first wave of games back in November.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game marks the first-ever meeting between WMU and Texas State.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
Texas State enters Saturday on a three-game winning streak after picking up a 77-71 victory at Georgia Southern on Wednesday. The Bobcats lead the Sun Belt and rank 35th in NCAA DI in steals at 8.9 per game, led by Kaden Gumbs' league-leading 2.0 steals per contest. DJ Hall leads TXST in scoring (14.2 PPG) and rebounding (7.5 RPG) and is second in the SBC with seven double-doubles.
ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan resumes Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday, Feb. 11, as Toledo comes to town for a 7 pm tip.
