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KALAMAZOO --  The Western Michigan men’s basketball team (9-16, 6-6) fought for every basket in a low-scoring win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles (4-22, 2-10), 46-38, on its way to clinching its fifth straight Michigan MAC Men’s Basketball Championship in front of 3,122 fans at University Arena Wednesday night. With Ball State’s loss to Toledo, the Broncos are now tied for first place in the MAC West.

The Broncos take home the Michigan MAC Championship after posting a 3-0 record over in-state MAC opponents, which includes two wins against the Eagles and one against Central Michigan.
 
WMU junior David Kool's three-pointer with just over a minute left in the game put the Broncos up by eight points, 44-36, and put any chance of an Eagle victory to rest. What had been a one-point game with six and a half minutes to play got out of reach for EMU after a 7-0 Bronco run that was capped off by Kool’s three ball.

Kool finished with a game-high 19 points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded two steals. Senior Shawntes Gary added ten points and freshman Demetrius Ward grabbed four rebounds and had three steals.

In the first half, the Broncos went on a 12-0 run over a ten minute span and in the second half the Eagles didn’t score a field goal in the final 6:41, which means WMU held EMU scoreless for 16 of the 40 minutes played.

EMU controlled WMU on the boards, holding a 33-21 rebound advantage, and the Eagles were able to box out the Broncos to the tune of 21 defensive boards, while WMU didn’t grab a single offensive rebound.

The Broncos held EMU to just 30 percent (14-of-46) shooting from the field, while they shot 46 percent (18-of-39) and made 8-of-9 free throws compared to just 4-of-6 from EMU.
 
After entering the locker room at half time with a 12-point lead, 27-15, the Broncos were outscored 16-7 in the first eight minutes of the second half to allow EMU to get within three points, 34-31. Ward hit a three-pointer with 12 minutes left in the game to put the Broncos up by six, but EMU’s L.J. Frazier countered Ward’s three ball and Wendale Farrow’s lay-up with 6:40 left made it a one-point game, but EMU wasn’t able to take advantage of the opportunity.

Eastern Michigan’s Brandon Bowdry led the Eagles with 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and junior Justin Dobbins recorded a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Broncos will host Eastern Illinois Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. in the ESPNU BracketBusters games.