Once Upon A Time In Las Vegas
The (4-10) Western Michigan Broncos and (9-5) Toledo Rockets will take the floor on Friday for a Mid-American Conference basketball game at Savage Arena. The Broncos, 0-1 in MAC competition, fell 80-72 at Kent State in their last game. The Rockets, also 0-1 in MAC play, fell 90-83 at home to Ball State in their most recent game.
Toledo beat Western Michigan in both meetings last season. The Rockets own a 21-16 series advantage versus the Broncos.
Tip-off from Toledo, OH, is at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Rockets are 15-point spread favorites, and the game total is 156 points.
The Broncos have lost four of their past five, with their lone win coming over Siena Heights. Western Michigan wrapped up its non-conference schedule at 4-9 but challenged itself to games against Minnesota, Iowa State, and Wisconsin. WMU was picked to finish eighth in the MAC basketball preseason poll.
Western Michigan trailed by 12 at halftime versus Kent State and lost despite a 46-point second-half rally. The Broncos outshot the Golden Flashes 51.0 percent to 40.4 percent but never led in the game. Kent State shot 11-of-28 from long range and hit 23 of 25 free-throw attempts (92.0%). The Broncos committed 21 fouls and had 16 turnovers in their first conference match of the season.
The Bronco rally comes up just shy, as Kent State hangs on to win tonight's MAC opener. pic.twitter.com/iPqMlyAgMl
— Western Michigan Men's B asketball (@WMUMBB) January 4, 2023
Western Michigan scores 68.6 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting, with a 33.4 three-point shooting percentage. The Broncos collect 34.6 rebounds per game, and their rebounding margin (8) is tied for the 14th-highest in D-1.
WMU's offensive efficiency rating, adjusted for schedule, is 203rd in the nation, per KenPom. Senior guard Lamar Norman Jr. paces Western Michigan, scoring 17.3 points per game. The Broncos also count on contributions from senior guard Tray Maddox Jr. (11.8 PPG and 4.1 RPG), junior center Titus Wright (7.5 PPG and 4.9 RPG), and senior forward Tafari Simms (7.3 PPG and 3.6 RPG).
Western Michigan surrenders 69.1 points on 45.0 percent shooting from the field, including 35.9 percent from long range. Its adjusted defensive efficiency rating is 347th nationally, and its assist-per-turnover ratio (0.79) is 307th.