KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan Broncos got their first taste of regular season action on Sunday, lighting up the scoreboard with an exceptional shooting performance to open the season with an 87-57 over the Aquinas Saints at University Arena.
The Bronco backcourt was absolutely on fire, with David Brown and Austin Richie combining to go 18-of-21 (.857) from the field and 9-of-10 (.900) from three-point range). Richie finished with a career-high 28 points on 10-of-11 shooting while Brown went 8-of-10 and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, making his first six shots to start the game.
The Bronco backcourt was absolutely on fire, with David Brown and Austin Richie combining to go 18-of-21 (.857) from the field and 9-of-10 (.900) from three-point range). Richie finished with a career-high 28 points on 10-of-11 shooting while Brown went 8-of-10 and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, making his first six shots to start the game.
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WMU went 33-of-56 from the field as a team for a 58.9 field goal percentage while still holding its opponent to a 34.5 mark, including a paltry 28.6 percent shooting in the second half. Connar Tava contributed 13 points, as well as game-highs with eight rebounds and five assists. Freshman center Drake LaMont made his first career start, adding seven points, six rebounds, and no turnovers.
The game began with a 16-2 run for WMU, who seemingly couldn't miss as they peppered the Saints with scores in the first five minutes of play. The Broncos drained four straight three-pointers to take the advantage, capping the run when Richie hit a triple, moving to his right off a screen with 15:58 remaining in the half. The Saints pulled to within five points midway through the half when Anthony Williams made a mid-range jumper to cut it to 24-19, but Richie finished off an and-one with a free throw make on the next possession to boost the lead back up.
The senior point guard scored the final four points of the half, first hitting an NBA-range three from just to the right of the key to make it 46-26, and finishing off a fast break lay-up after Tava picked off a pass by Dorian Armstrong and advanced it to Richie. Richie kissed it off the glass and into the hoop with 27 seconds remaining to set the halftime deficit at 48-26.
The starters contributed some minutes to begin the second half, but the reserves took over midway through the period to seal out the victory. Jared Klein knocked down a fast break jumper from the head of the key with 11:04 remaining to up the Broncos' lead to 61-45, and on the next possession AJ Avery cleaned up an errant Klein shot, tipping it back in for an 18-point advantage. Tava remained in the game and caught fire late in the half, scoring on lay-ups on three straight possessions to make it 71-49 with 6:30 remaining. The junior forward made two free throws with 4:08 left to make it a 30-point advantage, and there it would stay as WMU closed out the win.
(Courtesy of WMU Athletics/MRO Edit)
The game began with a 16-2 run for WMU, who seemingly couldn't miss as they peppered the Saints with scores in the first five minutes of play. The Broncos drained four straight three-pointers to take the advantage, capping the run when Richie hit a triple, moving to his right off a screen with 15:58 remaining in the half. The Saints pulled to within five points midway through the half when Anthony Williams made a mid-range jumper to cut it to 24-19, but Richie finished off an and-one with a free throw make on the next possession to boost the lead back up.
The senior point guard scored the final four points of the half, first hitting an NBA-range three from just to the right of the key to make it 46-26, and finishing off a fast break lay-up after Tava picked off a pass by Dorian Armstrong and advanced it to Richie. Richie kissed it off the glass and into the hoop with 27 seconds remaining to set the halftime deficit at 48-26.
The starters contributed some minutes to begin the second half, but the reserves took over midway through the period to seal out the victory. Jared Klein knocked down a fast break jumper from the head of the key with 11:04 remaining to up the Broncos' lead to 61-45, and on the next possession AJ Avery cleaned up an errant Klein shot, tipping it back in for an 18-point advantage. Tava remained in the game and caught fire late in the half, scoring on lay-ups on three straight possessions to make it 71-49 with 6:30 remaining. The junior forward made two free throws with 4:08 left to make it a 30-point advantage, and there it would stay as WMU closed out the win.
(Courtesy of WMU Athletics/MRO Edit)
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