CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament: Western Michigan advances past Tennessee Tech

March 16, 2011

Western Michigan advances past Tennessee Tech

Box Score

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -The Western Michigan men's basketball program played in its first postseason game since March 21, 2005 on Wednesday night. The Broncos shook off the rust of a few days off and a loss in the MAC Tournament semifinal to defeat Tennessee Tech, 74-66, at University Arena.

WMU and the Golden Eagles each shot over 50 percent from the floor in the first half but it was an 8-0 run for the Broncos over the span of 2:26 and a 9-3 run over the span of 2:00 in the first half that set the tone for the home team in its first postseason win at University Arena since March 21, 2005 (Illinois-Chicago, 63-62).

The Broncos mixed things up from the opening tip inserting Alex Wolf and Muhammed Conteh into the starting line up, giving the senior Wolf the first start of his career.

The two teams battled back and forth throughout the first 12 minutes of the game but TTU took its largest lead at the 8:38 mark on Zach Bailey's three pointer. From there WMU scored the game's next eight points beginning with a lay up by Matt Stainbrook, who recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Conteh added a free throw and Flenard Whitfield followed with a jumper, finishing with 11 points as well. Demetrius Ward, the team's leading scorer with 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting, hit one of five three pointers to cap the run. His five three-point field goals rank third all-time in WMU postseason history and his 11 attempts rank third as well.

Tennessee Tech widdled the Broncos' lead down to four on Kevin Murphy's jumper at the 2:56 mark but Western Michigan answered in kind with a 9-3 run to end the half, capped by Nate Hutcheson's lay up at the buzzer. The sophomore forward, who also had a highlight block of Jud Dillard in the second half, also scored 11 points in the win.

The Golden Eagles hung around the entire second half despite WMU jumping out to a 12-point margin on four different occasions. TTU got within six points six times and cut its deficit to five on an Alfred Jones jumper with 8:19 remaining.

Every time the Golden Eagles made it a two possession game, the Broncos answered with free throw despite neither team shooting exceptionally well from the line. Tennessee Tech finished 20-for-39 at the line while WMU was just one made free throw better at 21-for-39.

Western Michigan basketball will host Buffalo on Saturday, March 19, at 2 p.m. in University Arena. The game is a rematch of the Broncos and Bulls game from Jan. 25, 2011. Buffalo won that meeting, 79-68.