GETTING INSIDE
Can it be? Western Michigan, which has had numerous highs and seems to be a perennial challenger for the Mid-American Conference West championship, has a record better than .500 for the first time in almost two years.
It is true. When the Broncos won two of three games in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, they pushed their record to 6-5 this season. Western Michigan hasn’t had its head above water since beating Eastern Michigan in a 2008 MAC Tournament game.
What the Broncos’ current record means is they appear to have a leg up on the rest of the teams in what shapes up as a very mediocre West Division this season. The only other team in the division with a winning record is Eastern Michigan, also at 6-5. The four other teams have combined for a 13-28 mark.
“They can see what happens when they perform well; confidence is starting to build,” Broncos coach Steve Hawkins told the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette about his team’s improvement.
In posting a 2-1 record in Hawaii (the loss was by four points to USC), the Broncos began to feel good about their play on defense. And winning has boosted their confidence.
“Mostly it does a lot of stuff for the young guys, especially the sophomores who came in here last year and didn’t win much,” senior guard David Kool told the Gazette. “It does a lot for the mental psyche of the young guys.”
NOTES, QUOTES
• F Martelle McLemore has been a surprisingly good performer so far this year. He played well in the Diamond Head Classic, including 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the 3-point line in the Broncos’ final game, a 66-63 win against College of Charleston. He also scored 20 points against USC in the first game of the tournament.
• The Broncos’ bench is getting stronger each game. The group averaged 22 points per game in three contests in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.
January At A Glance: The Broncos will have about a week to recover from a Christmas tournament in Hawaii and get focused on the Mid-American Conference race. The Broncos start the season with five straight games against West Division foes. Western Michigan has as much talent in its starting lineup as any West team, and it could benefit from four of its first six MAC games being at home.
Quote To Note: “I just like this team’s spirit. … We wanted to be playing good basketball around Christmas time. We’re close to doing that.”—WMU coach Steve Hawkins on his team ending December with three wins in four games.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: Western Michigan is building confidence, especially coming out of the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu when they won two of three games. The bench, which lacked at times last year, is providing some punch. The Broncos received 22 points a game from backups in Hawaii after the group averaged 11 during the season’s first eight games.
Player Rotation: Usual starters—PG Mikey Douglas, SG David Kool, C Donald Lawson, F Flenard Whitfield, F Martelle McLemore Key Subs—PG Demetrius Ward, PG Alex Wolf, F Nate Hutcheson, G David Brown.
Game Review:
Usc 55, W estern Michigan 51
Western Michigan 75, Northeastern 60
Western Michigan 66, College of Charleston 60
Game Preview:
vs. Sam Houston State, Jan. 3
vs. Michigan-Dearborn, Jan. 5
vs. Eastern Michigan, Jan. 9
In Focus: The Broncos have a chance to build some great momentum and head into the Mid-American Conference season as the unquestioned best team in the West Division. They’ll play three straight home games coming up on the heels of three wins in their past four games.
Roster Report
• F Martelle McLemore has developed into a potent offensive threat this year. He’s averaging 12.6 points a game after providing 3.6 last season.
• C Donald Lawson is becoming one of the sneaky good inside players in the MAC. He had 10 rebounds against College of Charleston in Hawaii to help the Broncos win the board battle 43-26. Lawson is averaging 8 rebounds a game this season.
• Walk-on PG Alex Wolf put himself in a good position in Hawaii as the Broncos turned to him instead of starter Mikey Douglas down the stretch in a 66-63 win against College of Charleston. Wolf’s ability to shoot from the perimeter was needed in that game to help open the middle.
