Three-Point Shooting Propels WMU Past Chicago State

Propelled by a season-high 14 three-pointers and a career-high 27 points from junior Josh Davis, the Western Michigan Broncos men’s basketball squad ended non-conference play with a convincing 92-71 victory over Chicago State on Saturday inside University Arena.

The Broncos finished the game with a season-high 14 threes’, nine of which came in the first half. Overall, WMU shot 44 percent from distance and 45 percent from the floor. It’s the fourth game this season in which the Broncos have registered double digit three-pointers.

Junior Josh Davis nearly recorded a double-double, ending the game with a career-high 27 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists. Davis knocked down a career-high five threes’ and went a staggering 8-of-12 from the floor. At the free-throw line the Detroit, Mich., native went a perfect 6-for-6.

For the first time this season, senior Drake LaMont registered double digit rebounds with 10 to go along with eight points. Fellow senior Thomas Wilder filled the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists against the Cougars.

Off the bench, freshman Michael Flowers set a new career-high with 12 points, going 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the three-point line. Sophomore Adida Ikongshul crashed the boards for the Broncos, earning a season-high seven rebounds in 15 minutes.

Overall it was a good night for the brown and gold on the boards, registering a season-high 50 rebounds. It’s the first game WMU has had at least 50 rebounds since grabbing 62 against Marygrove on Nov. 11, 2016.

WMU ends non-conference play with an overall record of 8-5, marking the most non-conference wins since 2014. The Broncos begin Mid-American Conference play on Tuesday, Jan.2 at home against Akron. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

The three-point barrage began early for WMU as the Broncos hit nine threes’ in the first half alone. WMU gained its first double digit lead at the 11-minute mark of the first half after embarking on a 12-2 run with nine of the 12 points coming from long distance.

In the first half, Davis had 17 of his career-high 27 points and at one point had more points than the entire Chicago State team. After shooting a scorching 47.2 percent from the field the Broncos took a 49-28 lead into halftime.

The second half was tightly contested as both Chicago State and Western Michigan scored 43 points. CSU cut the lead to 18 late in the second half but that was the closest the Cougars got as the Broncos made five of their last six field goals to secure its second straight victory.