WMU visits No. 15 Wisconsin to wrap up the non-conference slate

KALAMAZOO, Mich. The Western Michigan men’s basketball team wraps up its non-conference schedule Friday night when it travels to Madison, Wisc., to face the 15th-ranked Badgers.

GAME INFORMATION

Balance:Western Michigan (4-8) at No. 15 Wisconsin (9-2)

Date time:Friday, December 30 at 8pm EST

Website:Kohl Center (Madison, Wisc.)

Video:BTN+

Radio:Bronco Media Network

Live Stats:SIDE ARM

OPENING TIP

• Western Michigan begins a three-game road swing Friday night when it travels to #15 Wisconsin for its final non-conference game before MAC play begins next week.
• Before the holiday break, the Broncos wrapped up their non-conference homestand with a 61-41 win over Siena Heights.
• Owen Lobsinger led Western Michigan in scoring for the first time in his career as the sophomore scored a career-high 12.
• Markeese Hastings tied career high with 18 rebounds against Saints.
• The Broncos lead the MAC in rebounding (39.4/game), rebounding margin (+10.1) and offense (13.1).
• Wisconsin is Western Michigan’s second Big Ten opponent of the season, and the Broncos fell at Minnesota 61-60 to open the season on Nov. 7.
• UW won the only previous meeting between the two programs, 80-68, on December 6, 1954.
• WMU is looking for its first win over a ranked opponent since Nov. 21, 2007.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Western Michigan begins a stretch of three straight road games on Friday when it travels to Madison for the non-conference finale against 15th-ranked Wisconsin. WMU opens MAC play next week with road games at Kent State (Jan. 3) and Toledo (Jan. 6).

THE LAST TIME

Back on Dec. 21, Western Michigan headed into the holiday break with a 61-41 win over Siena Heights at University Arena. Owen Lobsinger led the Broncos in career scoring with 12 points Lamar Norman Jr. beaten 10. Markeese Hastings had a career-high 18 rebounds.

STARTING for the defense

WMU’s defense put together its best game yet in the win over SHU, holding the Saints to 41 points, including eight in the first half, both season lows against the Broncos. Western Michigan’s defense also set season lows in field goals allowed (14), three-pointers allowed (1), opponent field goal percentage (.255) and opponent three-point percentage (.059) in the win over the Saints.

REPAIR OF BOARDS

In its win over Siena Heights last week, Western Michigan won the rebounding battle for the fourth straight game and ninth time this season. The Broncos grabbed 50 boards against SHU, the third time in the last four WMU has had 50 or more. Western Michigan currently leads the MAC in total rebounding (39.4/game), rebounding margin (+10.1) and offense (13.1).

BENCH BOOST
Owen Lobsinger led the Broncos in scoring against SHU with a career-high 12 points. The sophomore is the seventh different WMU player to score in double figures off the bench this season.

WMU VS WISCONSIN

Western Michigan and Wisconsin meet Friday night for just the second time ever. The first meeting between the Broncos and Badgers was back on December 6, 1954 with Wisconsin winning 80-68.

BRONCOS VS BIG TEN

Wisconsin will be Western Michigan’s other Big Ten foe in the 2022-23 season, as the Broncos opened the season with a 61-60 loss at Minnesota on Nov. 7. WMU has played at least one Big Ten opponent in each of the last five seasons. , and is looking for its first win against a Big Ten member since a 56-52 win at Michigan on November 30, 2002.

WMU VS

Coming in this week at #15, the Badgers are the first foe Western Michigan has faced since 12/6/2020, when the Broncos visited #8 Michigan State. Friday marks the 12th time since 2010 that WMU has faced a ranked opponent. The Broncos’ last win over a ranked team was an 83-76 win over #25 Davidson led by Stephen Curry on November 21, 2007 in Kalamazoo.

THANK YOU NORMAN
Lamar Norman Jr. scored 10 points against Siena Heights, marking the 38th time in 41 games as a Bronco that he has reached double figures. The senior has led Western Michigan in scoring 33 times during his time in the Brown & Gold, including eight this season. He is currently seventh in the MAC in scoring with 18.3 points per game.

LONG RANGE LAMAR
Lamar Norman Jr. leads the MAC this season with an average of 3.5 hits per three games and has totaled 38, second most in the conference. The senior’s 3.5 three-pointers per game rank 11th in the nation, and his 38 threes rank 29th.

TO MAKE A MARK
Markeese Hastings has been a key part of Western Michigan’s success on the glass, as the redshirt junior has hauled in double-digit rebounds seven times so far this season, tied for the most in the Mid-American Conference. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native’s 18 rebounds against Siena Heights tied her career high and marked the single-game total by a MAC player in 2022-23. Hastings currently ranks in the top five in the league in total rebounding (3rd, 9.3/game), defensive rebounding (2nd, 6.3) and offensive rebounding (4th, 3.0).

372 AND CALCULATION

WMU has made at least one three-pointer in 372 straight games since 2011.

HALFTIME WIRES change to W

The Broncos have a 53-20 record over the past five seasons when leading at halftime.

ON THE HORIZON

Western Michigan begins Mid-American Conference play next week with trips to Kent State (Jan. 3) and Toledo (Jan. 6).