Ohio will cap off its three-game homestand when it hosts Western Michigan inside The Convo on Saturday.
The Bobcats (18-3, 9-1 Mid-American Conference) are on top of the MAC again. They've won their last four games by double digits and jumped to first place in the conference standings after Toledo lost to Ball State on Friday. Now, they have to hold their ground against a team they've faced once before.
Western Michigan (4-18, 0-11 MAC) doesn't pose a major threat. It's gone winless for the first month of conference play, and it hasn't beaten Ohio in The Convo since the 2013-14 season.
Here's another look at the Broncos ahead of Saturday's game:
Game information
Opponent: Western Michigan
Venue: The Convo
Time: 2 p.m.
Watch: ESPN3
Listen: Ohio IMG Sports Network
Live stats: Live stats are provided here.
Meet the opponent
Probable starters
00 Markeese Hastings
01 Mileek McMillan
03 B. Artis White
11 Lamar Norman Jr.
12 Josiah Freeman
Individual statistical leaders
Points: Norman (19.8 points per game)
Rebounds: Hastings (8.8 rebounds per game)
Assists: Norman (1.8 assists per game)
Field goal percentage: Titus Wright (56.8%)
3-point percentage: Danny Kolp (50%)
Free throw percentage: Owen Lobsinger (100%)
Team statistical profile
Points per game: 65.1
Rebounds per game: 32.5
Assists per game: 10.1
Turnovers per game: 14.5
Field goal percentage: 42.6%
3-point percentage: 31.9%
Free throw percentage: 68.8%
The series
Ohio leads the all-time series 71-66. Both teams last met on Jan. 1, when Ohio defeated Western Michigan 59-47 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Despite winning by double digits, Ohio was just 3-of-22 from beyond the arc and shot 36.5% from the floor.
Western Michigan since Game 1
The Broncos haven’t experienced any significant growth over the past month. They’ve stagnated or regressed in almost every statistical category, and the minuscule improvements in their shooting percentages haven’t provided any worthwhile success. The Broncos have yet to win a game in the MAC, and five of those losses have been by 10 points or more.
There has been a shakeup in the lineup, however. Adrian Martin, who started against Ohio on New Year’s Day, hasn’t started for seven games. In his stead, Western Michigan has incorporated White, who’s averaging 10 points per game in that span. White has had sporadic success — scoring 21 points against Ball State and 23 points against Akron — but he’s been held to under 10 points five times and is shooting 33.9% from the field in his last seven starts.
