• Blog
  • About Us
  • Links
  MAC Reporter Online

Vikings pull away from 'casual' WMU

12/8/2016

 
Picture
CLEVELAND, Ohio- Western Michigan dropped an 85-62 decision to Cleveland State Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the annual Mid-American Conference basketball tournament.

Western Michigan started off the game with the hot hand, connecting on 8 of its first 11 shots, including 3-for-4 from three-point range. The impressive shooting allowed the Broncos to open a 17-9 lead.

Cleveland State (3-5) started to . . . 

. . . find its footing however and the Vikings' defense began to force the Broncos into turnovers. Sophomore guard Rob Edwards also got his team going offensively, pumping in 13 of his 15 points in the first half. Despite the slow start, Cleveland State managed to take a 37-31 lead into halftime.
When the Broncos came out of intermission flat, Cleveland State rattled off a 22-8 run that put the game away.

"Tonight we started out fine, but this group is not at a point yet where we give consistent effort," WMU head coach Steve Hawkins said. "On the defensive end of the floor, this team does not resemble a Western Michigan basketball team. Until we get them to understand the consistent level of effort that takes, we aren't going to be able to win on the road."

With around 12 minutes to play, Hawkins pulled his starters and let the younger players finish out the game. For a large portion late in the second half WMU had two sophomores and three freshmen on the floor.

"We were getting beat pretty well, so we put in a group that would give more effort," Hawkins said in reference to the players that finished the game. "I thought that group played extremely hard.

"We are just simply too casual on the basketball court right now for a Bronco basketball team. That's not our trademark and that's not who we are. The upperclassmen need to start leading the way."

Junior point guard Thomas Wilder was the only Bronco to score in double figures with 12 points. Eight of those came in the first half. Lone senior Tucker Haymond had just two points and junior Drake LaMont finished with three. The trio entered the game averaging over 40 points combined.

CSU's Bobby Word hit five three's and was the game's leading scorer with 25 points. Demonte Flannigan recorded 20.

Cleveland State scored 25 points off of 16 Bronco turnovers. The Vikings also out-rebounded WMU 32-25.

"We've got to do a better job all the way around," Hawkins said. "There wasn't a lot of fight when it came to fighting time. This team just isn't there yet. It's my job to get them there."

Western Michigan (2-6) returns to Kalamazoo to host James Madison on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. 

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    MAC Football 

    UPCOMING GAMES
    All times Eastern

    ​

    MAC FOOTBALL STANDINGS
    -- Final - 2022 -- 
    MAC EAST
    OHIO 7-1
    BUFFALO 5-3
    BOWLING GREEN 5-3

    MIAMI 4-4
    KENT STATE 4-4
    AKRON 1-7

    MAC WEST
    TOLEDO 5-3

    EASTERN MICHIGAN 5-3
    WESTERN MICHIGAN 4-4
    ​BALL STATE 3-5
    CENTRAL MICHIGAN 3-5

    NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2-6

    MAC Basketball 
    MAC BASKETBALL STANDINGS
    (Through 3-3-23)

    Team - MAC -- Overall
    Toledo 16-2 (25-6)
    Kent State 15-3 (25-6)
    Akron 13-5 (21-10)
    Ball State 11-7 (20-11)
    Ohio 10-8 (18-13)
    Buffalo 9-9 (15-16)
    Northern Illinois 9-9 (13-18)
    Miami 6-12 (12-19)
    Bowling Green 5-13 (11-20)
    Central Michigan 5-13 (10-21)
    Eastern Michigan 5-13 (8-23)
    Western Michigan 4-14 (8-23)

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Other

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly