MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The Western Michigan men’s basketball team led for most of the game, but ultimately dropped a 70-69 decision to Central Michigan on Saturday night at CMU’s McGuirk Arena.
Markeese Hastings scored off of an offensive rebound with 4:07 remaining, pushing Western Michigan’s lead back to double-digits, 66-55. The Hastings basket was WMU’s final field goal of the evening, as Central Michigan (8-13, 3-5 MAC), charged back to within two, 67-65, with 1:28 on the clock.
After the Broncos (6-15, 2-6) split a pair of free throws, the Chippewas clawed to within a point on a layup with 16 seconds remaining. Again, Western Michigan split a pair of free throws, and CMU’s Brian Taylor buried the go-ahead three-pointer with five seconds remaining. WMU had once last desperation attempt, but could not beat the buzzer.
Lamar Norman Jr. netted a game-high 27 points for Western Michigan, his 10th game with 20 or more points this season. Seth Hubbard added a career-high 16 points off of the bench, while Titus Wright netted 11. Hastings had seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Central Michigan scored the first basket of the evening, but 10 of the next 12 points went to the Broncos to get the visitors out to a 10-4 advantage. A six-point spurt, which included Hubbard’s first three-pointer of the night, moved WMU’s cushion into double-digits for the first time, 21-11, with just over nine minutes to go in the opening period.
Western Michigan led by as many as 13 in the first half, when a Hubbard jumper made it 29-16 with 3:06 on the clock. The Broncos led 33-25 at halftime.
The first five points of the second half went to WMU, extending the margin back to 13, 38-25. CMU slowly cut into the Western Michigan advantage, and got to within seven, 44-37, at the 14:02 mark. The Broncos responded with a Norman triple and a transition dunk by JaVaughn Hannah to extend their lead back into double-figures, 52-40, with 11:19 to play.
A 7-0 stretch got the Chippewas to within five, 52-47, at the 9:43 mark. Another Hubbard three-pointer and back-to-back putbacks by Wright helped WMU go back in front by 11, 64-53, with 5:38 on the clock.
For the evening, Western Michigan shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field, and made 10 three-pointers. CMU hit 44.1 percent (26-of-59) of its field goal attempts. The Broncos held a 37-34 rebounding edge in the contest.