 WESTERN MICHIGAN 73, MIAMI 64 BRONCO-CAVE SERVING WMU WELL
The win allowed WMU to remain perfect (8-0) at home this season as the Broncos moved to 10-11 overall and 4-3 in MAC play. Miami continued its struggles, falling to 5-14 on the campaign and 1-6 against MAC competition.
Senior Forward Flenard Whitfield led the Broncos with 22 points. He was joined in double figures by 6-10 sophomore center Shane Whittington (career-high 16 points), freshman guard Austin Richie (13) and senior guard Mike Douglas (12). Whittington also had a game-high 11 rebounds to complete his double-double and help the hosts register a 32-25 advantage on the boards.
BRONCO BIGS HAVE BIG DAY
“Their big guys torched our big guys,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said after watching his team fall to its fourth straight loss and seventh setback in the last eight outings.
The RedHawks had just two players in double figures, and the pair accounted for 60.9 percent of MU’s total.
Julian Mavunga, a 6-8 senior forward, had 19 points and 10 boards to post his 11 double-double of the season. However, he was just 5-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc.
SULLIVAN CONTINUES TO SIZZLE
Freshman Brian Sullivan, who entered the game leading the MAC (conference games only) in 3-point goals (18) hit 6-of-9 from behind the arc against WMU. He scored 15 in the first half but was held to after intermission.
“They started just dogging him, and that’s when you’ve got to have baskets from other guys,” Coles said.
The visitors lived by the three and starved by the three during the first half. Miami trailed 36-35 at the break, and 33 of its points came off treys. Two free throws by Mavunga accounted for the other two points.
MU CREATES 'BIZARRO WORLD'
At least for the first half, it was a something of a Bizarro World for MU: close was bad and far was good. The RedHawks made 11-of-13 treys (86.4 percent) but failed to make a single field goal inside the arc. Even given free shots at the foul line, MU connected on just 2-of-7.
Whitfield and Western Michigan got off to a quick start as the WMU went up 6-0 on three baskets by the senior. Mavunga nailed a trey to cut the deficit in half and after Whittington scored on a layup, Sullivan started his trey onslaught. He connected on 4-of-5 MU triples in less than four minutes as Miami took a 18-14 lead.
Western Michigan caught and passed the visitors at 7:11 when Richie scored on a layup and converted his foul shot. It was the second basket of a 14-0 Broncos run that put WMU up 34-24.
Miami followed that with an 11-2 run of its own and had a chance to tie or take the lead with 3.9 seconds left, but Will Sullivan missed both free throws and the teams entered the break with WMU up 36-35.
BRONCOS OWN PAINT
Whitfield’s 15 points on 7-of-10 from the floor paced the hosts, who made 15-of-25 shots (60 percent) from the field and 4-of-6 from the line in the opening stanza. The Broncos outscored MU 18-0 in points in the paint.
Miami managed to tie the game twice in the opening minutes of the final period before WMU went on a decisive 20-5 run. Mavunga scored all five of the RedHawks points during that stretch, hitting one field goal (a dunk following a loose ball) and three free throws.
With 10:36 remaining, Miami still had time to work on the Broncos’ 15-point (58-43) lead. Following a time out, they ran off 10 unanswered points.
The Broncos scored just two more field goals – both by Mike Douglas (6:31 and 2:34), but they converted 10-of-16 free throws down the stretch to keep the RedHawks at bay.
Western Michigan remains at home for a Wednesday matchup against Bowling Green. Miami hosts Eastern Michigan Wednesday.
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