KALAMAZOO _” Turnovers and free-throw shooting was the
difference as the men’s basketball team lost to
Western Michigan Saturday.

CMU turned the ball over 27 times and attempted just
15 free-throws in the 68-57 loss.

The Broncos had just 17 turnovers and attempted 33
free-throws.

“We sort of beat ourselves in the second half,” said
sophomore point guard Giordan Watson. “We had the same
defensive pressure we had in the first half, but we
turned the ball over.”

A 14-2 second half run by WMU put the game away.

It scored on its first four second-half possessions,
while freshman forward Derek Drews capped the run with
a three-pointer that put the Broncos up by 12 points
with 14:23 remaining.

Western never looked back as it outscored CMU 37-26 in
the second half after being tied at halftime.

“Everything was being called in the second half,”
said coach Jay Smith. “Our guys battled the whole
game, but defensively we had to adjust to what they
(referees) were calling. We threw out the records and
just came out and competed.”

CMU dropped to 4-21 overall and 1-15 in the
Mid-American Conference, while WMU improved to 13-14
overall and 10-6 in the MAC.

WMU’s win allows it a shot to win the MAC West
Championship next Saturday when it hosts Northern
Illinois.

CMU answered the Broncos’ second-half start with a 7-0
run of its own that was capped by a three-pointer and
a jumper by Watson.

The run cut the deficit to five at 47-42 with 11:04
remaining, but that was as close as CMU would get.

Watson shot 6-of-10 from the field and had a game-high
19 points, but also had eight turnovers.

Western senior guard Stane’s Bufford hit a
three-pointer with 4:55 remaining to put Western up
61-51.

Consecutive baskets by sophomore center Joe Reitz and
senior guard Brian Snider put the game out of reach at
66-53 with 1:29 remaining.

Bufford led WMU with 17 points, while Snider had 14
and Reitz added 12.

CMU freshman forward Chris Kellermann looked to be on
pace to score more than 20 points for the third
consecutive game, but didn’t score in the second half
after scoring 14 in the first.

He hit three first-half three pointers, and had seven
total rebounds.

CMU held Western scoreless for the first four minutes
of the game and took a 10-2 lead on a layup by Watson
with 14:36 remaining.

WMU coach Steve Hawkins then pulled his starters from
the game, which sparked a rally.

Drews came off the bench and hit a three-pointer and a
jumper to give WMU an 11-10 lead.

“We came out extremely flat,” Snider said. “I took it
personally when coach (Hawkins) took all five of us
starters out of the game. I got fired up and was able
to come in and get a few steals and a few buckets.”

The Chippewas host Eastern Michigan Wednesday at 7
p.m. at Rose Arena.

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