Bronco Baller embodies all that is good about today’s student athlete

WMU senior  standout Maria Iaquaniello is making the most of her final year

By Alan Gerould, Editor, SW  Michigan Sports Review

UNIVERSITY ARENA — Western Michigan’s Women’s basketball squad looks to climb back above .500 in the MAC when it resumes its league schedule against west foe Northern Illinois University at UA on Thursday(Jan.19th).

The SWMSR sought out the unquestioned leader of the Broncos, senior Maria Iaquaniello, for a little question and answer about this current batch of  Broncos. The versatile Iaquaniello is a great example of what is good about college athletics. She excels in the classroom and leads by her example and hard work on the court. On top of that she is extremely personable and a delight to be around.  She makes this alum proud to be a Bronco. We asked Maria  what we should expect the rest of the year and oh yeh we got some personal stuff too!!! As usual we hope to catch out subject off-guard with a deep, probing first question.

SouthWest Michigan Sports Review: What is the average number of attempts it takes for a person of normal intelligence to correctly spell your last name?

Maria Iaquaniello: Four to five (she says laughing).  Usually they just give up and ask me to spell it slowly.

SWMSR: You were a successful high school athlete at Dearborn Divine Child. Why Western Michigan University?

MI: It was a combination of things. It was the perfect distance from home where I was on my own yet always within a two-hour drive if I needed to get home. I really liked the girls and the coaches it just felt like family and liked the fit.

SWMSR: You have a sister who plays at EMU. Were you two competitive?

MI:  Rachel is a couple of years younger than me and volleyball is really her sport. She was recruited by EMU which is pretty close to home and Butler. We’re both pretty happy with our choices, it’s given us both a chance to expand our horizons.

SWMSR: Both of your parents were college athletes, besides genetics what role did that play in your success?

MI: Both of my parents have always been supportive of what ever my siblings and I have wanted to take up. They have just always been there for us, providing whatever we need to be happy and successful.

SWMSR: Your first three years, you played in almost all of the games but had limited minutes. This year you are getting lots of minutes and scoring lots of points. How does it feel?

MI:  It’s crazy and it’s kind of surreal, but It feels great. It makes me feel good to know that all of my hard work is paying off.

SWMSR: You were down to Ball State 21-3 last week, when after a timeout you kind of took over the game, bringing the Broncos all the way back to win going away. What happened?

MI: All of us are very competitive and no one here likes to lose. Sometimes we just have lapses in concentration and make mistakes that are easily fixable. Not a day goes by that I am not reminded that this is it for me… the last six or so weeks of my last season playing ball for the last time. So I am playing angry. We will never lose because we haven’t left everything on the floor.

SWMSR: There are a lot of young players on this team. How good can you/they be?

MI: I think that we/they have a high ceiling. We have good talent at every position and they are all growing up fast. As the season goes along you can see our chemistry coming together. I think that we can beat anybody in this league on any given night.

SWMSR: Tasha (Coach McDowell) has been rumored to be on the hot seat this season. How badly does the team want to win to make sure she keeps her job?

MI: We love the coaches here. It is very much like a family and we know how hard they work for us to be successful. We want to reward their efforts just as much as ours.

SWMSR:  You have a  3.49 GPA and that’s not in basket weaving .. You are a Chemical Engineering major with 3 minors. Are you crazy?

MI: No I just wasn’t exactly sure which direction I wanted to go so I am covering my bases. I’ve  thought about the medical field but then found all the tissue and blood gross, but then I had an anatomy class and have learned to deal with it. I’ll figure it out soon. I do know that after five years of college that I will be ready to move on.

SWMSR: So what did you like best and will miss most about Kalamazoo?
MI: Just the whole college experience. I have made some of my best friends here. Friends that I will hope to stay in contact with the rest of my life. It’s been a great ride, but I’m not ready for it to end just yet!!!

SWMSR: Thanks Maria good luck against NIU.

MI: Thank you make sure to be there.

 

Broncos Remain Undefeated at Home after shooting down Rockets

By Alan Gerould, Editor, SW Michigan Sports Review

UNIVERSITY ARENA — Western Michigan University had it going on all cylinders for most of 40 minutes on Saturday as they stretched their record at University Arena this season to a perfect 7-0 with a 74-51 beat down of west division foe Toledo. 

Bronco senior forward Flenard Whitfield, who is still nursing an ankle sprain that kept him sidelined for six games, rejected the Rockets first field goal attempt and then scored on a lay-in to put the Broncos up — never to look back. It was to my mind and that of Bronco coach Steve Hawkins the best all-around effort of the year. “We did a real good job of sharing the ball and finding the open man,”  Hawk said in a post-game interview. “ I was also pleased with our defense and the way we got after the boards.”

All three of the Broncos starting big men (Whitfield, Matt Stainbrook and Nate Hutcheson) ended up with double digit scoring despite Hawkins going back to his small ball lineup where freshman guards Austin Ritchie and Hayden Hoerdemann join senior starting guards Mikey Douglas and Demetrius Ward for much of the game. The newcomers once again had solid games with nine and eight points respectively including a couple of three’s by H20 (H squared = offense )….

This -n- that…. Broncos broke out their gold uni’s for the first time that I can remember since the Joe Reitz era. I say wear ‘em until they stop working…

WMU President John Dunn must have been a NCAA basketball official in an earlier life as he often is demonstrative when the officials are in error, he makes sure they know about it…..

I still have not figured out why we are not seeing more of local favorite son Shayne Whittington. He was really playing well and getting lots of minutes but not so much lately. Hmm…

The Broncos still have a minimum of three on the injured list…but don’t Brandon Pokley, David Brown and Nick Stapert look the part of a sharp scholar/athlete with the threads on the bench..looks like a shoot from GQ…

A little heads up for SWMSR readers…the annual Bronco Garage Sale is to be held Saturday, January 28th at University Arena starting before a basketball doubleheader featuring the women taking on Ohio U at 2:00 and the men following with a visit from Miami of Ohio at 4:00. This is a great opportunity to pick up Bronco apparel on the cheap…Particularly for the plus sized like yours truly…I’ve never seen so much 3X stuff in one place…

The men are at EMU Wednesday and back home against CMU on Saturday.  The ladies start a three game home stand against NIU on Thursday and the Hockey team, coming off a big sweep of Notre Dame, is at Miami (OH) Friday and Saturday…..

Broncos even MAC record at 1-1 defeat Huskies

By Alan Gerould, Editor, SW Michigan Sports Review 

UNIVERSITY ARENA –  This -n- that… The Broncos, going for win number six against  zero losses got off to a slow start against the young Huskie squad. But Hayden Hoerdemann, whom I’ve nicknamed H2O (H squared = offense) came in and hit 3 treys and a bunny underneath to ignite the Broncos and stake them to a 34-30 halftime lead……..Broncos had a season low three team fouls in the first half as NIU never made it to the charity stripe. The Broncos were 7-7 at the same time…….Stainbrook scored one of his several easy baskets Wednesday without even touching the ball when H2O lofted a lob pass into the post that was deflected by NIU’s Nader Abdel into the Broncos hoop… …Broncos Coach Steve Hawkins went with a “small ball” line up much of the game utilizing four guards Ward, Douglas , Ritchie and H2O…….  I wonder what has happenned to Whit? Shayne Whittington who had put together a few real solid performances in recent weeks n ever saw the court against the smaller Huskies — anyone  know why????  The Huskies had two starters with similiar last names in Aksel (Bolin) and Abdel (Nader) Aksel, naturally is from Asker Norway while Abdel of course is from Skokie, IL…BTW, NIU has a second player from Norway Stian Berg…

….The dance team was wearing their third different outfit in three games? But then who noticed…. Kalamazoo resident  Ron Winters is at most every WMU game, particularly during the week…If the name sounds familiar it’s because this is the same Ron Winters that doubles as an NFL Referee (crew chief) on Sundays… Now here, courtesy of Sean Fagan, WMU media relations is the gamer…body

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men’s basketball team was able to turn it on late in the second half to hold off a hungry Northern Illinois team, and the Broncos defeated the Huskies 77-68 at University Arena on Wednesday. With the win, the Broncos improve to 7-9 on the season, 1-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Huskies fall to 1-13 overall, 0-2 in MAC play. Hayden Hoerdemann finished with a game- and career-high 18 points, including a 4-of-6 night from three-point range.

 The win marked a special occasion for head coach Steve Hawkins, as it was the 152nd win of Hawkins’ career at Western Michigan.  He moves into a tie with former WMU head coach Bob Donewald for second place on the program’s head coaching victories list.  Hawkins reached 152 wins in less than nine full seasons in Kalamazoo; Donewald needed 11 seasons to reach the total.

 Leading just 67-64 with two minutes remaining, Demetrius Ward made a pair of free throws to extend the Broncos’ lead to four points; he would drain a 10-footer on WMU’s next trip down the court to give the Broncos a 71-64 lead with 1:25 remaining. Nate Hutcheson would continue to stretch the lead, robbing NIU’s Abdel Nader of the ball on the ensuing Huskies possession and drawing a foul, and ultimately making a pair of free throws at the 1:13 mark.  The Broncos would go 6-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to down the Huskies at home.

 The Broncos opened the second half on a 12-4 run, with Matt Stainbrook single-handedly outscoring the Huskies with seven points in that span. Stainbrook scored just four points in the first half, but posted 12 in the second half to take control of the offense. He gave the Broncos their first double-digit lead of the game with a tip-in at the 15:48 mark, making it 44-34. The Huskies worked their way closer, but Austin Richie hit a three-pointer with 10:33 remaining to make it 52-44, and Stainbrook would finish a three-point play at the 9:51 mark to give the Broncos an 11-point lead.

 NIU continued to climb back, though, and eventually pulled to within 55-53 with 7:03 remaining. However, the Broncos’ offense began to click again and were sparked to a 7-1 run when Hoerdemann hit a pair of free throws at the 6:52 mark. On the next WMU possession, Nate Hutcheson scored on a one-handed dunk, and Hoerdemann would drain his fourth trey of the night just 37 seconds later to give the Broncos a 62-54 lead. 

The two teams battled hard in the first half, with neither leading the other by more than five points at any time in the half. Nate Hutcheson opened the half with a trio of free throws at the 18:49 mark, but the Broncos would be without a field goal until Hutcheson charged baseline and threw down a two-handed dunk at the 15:21 mark.

 The Huskies maintained the lead, though, until Hoerdemann hit a three from the left corner at the 13:34 mark to give the Broncos a 10-8 lead. After NIU’s Tim Toler responded with a three of his own, Hoerdemann struck again, giving WMU a 13-11 lead. Hoerdemann would add one more for good measure at the 5:07 mark, with the Broncos’ 26-21 lead their largest of the half. Hoerdemann finished the first half with 11 points, already just one shy of his season and career high.

NOTES:
Head coach Steve Hawkins tied Bob Donewald for second on the WMU career coaching victories list with his 152nd win as a Bronco

• The Broncos finished the game with 24 made baskets and 20 assists; those 20 assists rank fourth for a single game in program history
• The Broncos shot 95.2 percent from the free throw line, which is tied for fifth-best in a single game in program history
• Mike Douglas recorded eight assists, passing Todd Dietrich for third on the career assists list at Western Michigan; Douglas now has 394 career assists

 

 

 

 

Broncos gut out win over UW-Milwaukee,,,MAC play opens Saturday

By Alan Gerould, Editor,  SW Michigan Sports Review

PORTAGE — Despite  playing with only nine “healthy players” Western Michigan University rebounded from a 40-pont loss to Duke with a gutsy win over defending Horizon League Champions UW-Milwaukee.

“I knew we were in trouble when I saw  (walk on) Nick Stapert was  all bandaged up — Suds Sumney

Western’s makeshift lineup hustled  on every possession and played tenacious defense , Limiting the Panthers to just 3-16 shooting at one point in the first half…

Western freshman Guard Hayden Hoardemann is one of those energizer bunny types with a high motor. I just hope that he doesn’t choke on his mouth guard before the end of the season…

A real testament to Hawks coaching is the number of former players that keep coming back to watch the young Broncos at UA. I’ve seen a lot of Ricki Willis, Brian Snider, Andrew Hershberger, Ben Reed and even Joe Reitz who had heretofore been wrapped up as a  left guard for the Indianapolis Colts….

Shayne Whittington has the largest and loudest of all of the local fan clubs…D Ward looks like the Pillsbury doughboy with his all white underarmor …I really missed seeing Graham Couch at the game…He has been rumored to be done at the Gazette and he will really be missed as the Gazette beatwriter for the last six years..

Now thanks to Sean Fagan, WMU media relations who provided the following game story…

KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The Western Michigan men’s basketball team, playing with a deeply shortened bench due to a rash of injuries, overcame disadvantage to defeat the Milwaukee Panthers 72-61 in University Arena on Tuesday. With the win, the Broncos improve to 6-8 on the season, while the Panthers fall to 10-6. The Broncos utilized a balanced attacked against the Panthers, will all eight players that saw game time playing more than 10 minutes; of those players, four of them reached double-figures in scoring, including a game-high 21 points from Matt Stainbrook. Senior guard Demetrius Ward ran the point position and contributed 17 points, including a 9-of-11 effort from the free throw line. Back-up forward Dan Loney came off the bench to provide a spark for the Broncos, contributing career highs with seven points and eight rebounds.

 The Broncos initially took the lead with 16:38 remaining in the second half, when Stainbrook hit a pair of free throws to give WMU a 34-32 lead. Stainbrook would make two more free throws on the ensuing possession, and Austin Richie would hit a three-pointer at the 12:31 mark to give the Broncos a 43-37 lead.

 However, the Panthers battled back to the next media timeout, and tied the score 46-46 with 9:44 remaining in the second half. The Broncos would re-take the lead with 7:28 remaining when Stainbrook grabbed an offensive rebound off his own shot and tipped it in to make it 51-49, and would hit a pair of free throws to give the Broncos a four-point lead with 5:20 remaining.

 The turning point of the game would come just seconds later, when Loney took a charge from Milwaukee’s Ryan Allen at the 5:03 mark, quashing a potential Panthers scoring opportunity. On the Broncos’ next offensive possession, Richie was fouled while shooting a three and made all three foul shots to give the Broncos a 56-49 lead with 4:23 remaining.

  points on a Ward free throw with 1:11 remaining. In fact, the Broncos would go 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the closing minute of the game to set the final deficit, with Ward draining two more foul shots to make it 72-61 with 17 seconds remaining.

 The first half started out well in the Panthers’ favor, as Milwaukee opened the game on an 8-2 run in the first three minutes. Ward would convert a three-point play with a lay-up, drawn foul, and free throw to make it 8-5, and the Broncos would eventually take the 9-8 lead on a 12-footer from Stainbrook at the 14:50 mark. The Broncos led by as many as seven points in the first half, but the Panthers closed the half on a 17-9 run to enter the half leading 29-28.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Broncos post huge hoops win at O’Rena

By Alan Gerould, Editor, SW MIchigan Sports Review

I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. We were killin ‘em on the boards, but we do that against most teams – but we were also making our threes, hitting our free throws (which we just starterd doing three games ago) and our turnovers were not completely out of hand… We were without three of our better players, playing in a sold out hostile venue where the home team Golden Grizzlies had only lost three times in the last four years.  We were 9 point dogs, how could we be up 45-27 at the half and win going away, led by a peach fuzz face freshman who was bangin’ home three’s off of a yellow bus just last winter?

Yet the Broncos did in fact put together it’s most complete team win …WMU Media Relations’ Sean Fagan was there and provides the following game story…

ROCHESTER, Mich . – The Western Michigan men’s basketball started the holiday season on the right foot on Friday, going on the road to defeat the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 91-76 in front of a packed house at Oakland’s O’Rena. With the win, the Broncos improve to 5-7 overall this season and have won four straight games.

The win was a special one for WMU head coach Steve Hawkins , as it was the 150th win for Hawkins as head coach of the Broncos. He is just the third Bronco to win 150 games as a head coach, joining Herbert “Buck” Read and Bob Donewald.

Freshman off-guard Austin Richie exploded offensively in his second career start, scoring a team- and career-high 22 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and a perfect 8-of-8 day from the free throw line. He was one of five Broncos to reach double-digits in scoring, including Mike Douglas (19), Matt Stainbrook (16), Nate Hutcheson (12), and Demetrius Ward (12). The Broncos were ablaze from the field, shooting 30-of-54 (.556) and nailing 10 three-pointers.

The Broncos bucked their recent trend of starting out the first half slowly, taking command of the tempo at the opening tip-off. After forcing a defensive stop to begin the game, Nate Hutcheson launched a three-point attempt from the left corner to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead.

Demetrius Ward stripped the Golden Grizzlies’ Reggie Hamilton on the very next possession and fed Hutcheson again, who laid the ball in for his fifth point in less than a minute. Ward Hutcheson, and Austin Richie would add three-pointers on subsequent possessions for the Broncos, who began the game on a 14-5 run and stunned the packed O’Rena.

Stainbrook stretched the lead to double-digits at the 10:06 mark, taking a slick under-the-hoop pass from Ward and making a lay-up to give the Broncos a 23-12 lead. It was then that the Broncos began to establish their control down low, with Douglas and Stainbrook in particular keeping the Grizzlies on their heels.

The Broncos out-rebounded the Golden Grizzlies 21-10 in the first half and out-scored them 12-2 in second chance opportunities; in addition, WMU out-scored Oakland 18-14 in points in the paint, thanks largely to the abilities of Stainbrook and Douglas to attack the hoop.

The Golden Grizzlies jumped out to a hot start in the second half, opening on an 11-4 run and putting pressure on the Broncos in the early going. The Broncos responded with a 16-5 run of their own, though, with Richie blasting the Grizzlies for seven points on consecutive possessions. Richie drove to the hoop and drew a foul at the 13:12, but not before making his lay-up to convert a three-point play.

On the very next possession, Richie fired a three-point shot from the right corner. Laval Lucas-Perry shoved him as he released the shot, but Richie’s aim was true and the Broncos were afforded the opportunity to convert a rare four-point play. Richie buried the free throw to give the Broncos a 60-41 lead with 12:35 remaining.

The Broncos would set their biggest lead of the evening at the 11:13 mark when Muhammed Conteh pushed a lay-up off the glass and drew contact; Conteh made the free throw to give WMU a 66-43 lead. The Grizzlies would claw their way back, though, with star guard Reggie Hamilton nearly single-handedly bringing Oakland back to within single digits.

After the Broncos’ lead dwindled to just 10 points, Douglas hit a pair of clutch free throws to make it 83-71 with 3:51 remaining. They would spark a series of six straight points for Douglas, eventually pushing the lead to 87-71 at the 2:27 mark. Richie would make four straight free throws to seal the win for the Broncos.

10 questions with WMU Senior wideout Jordan White

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By Alan Gerould, Editor, SW Michigan Sports Review   SEELYE CENTER — SWMSR went deep into the WMU indoor practice facility in search of the elusive Jordan White. Fortunately JW is only elusive to opponents defenders.   SWMSR: Are you happy to be practicing at this time of year? JW: I was planning on practicing one way or the other, staying in shape for NFL scouts and the combine, but this is even better because I am here with all of my teammates.   SWMSR:You are the first consensus ALL-American in program history, has that sunk in? JW: Well it’s still kind of surreal and I don’t really think that it has hit me fully, but I am getting a lot of attention from the media, etc. so it’s starting to hit me.   SWMSR: Do you think that having receivers like Neal, Jennings, Simmons, Nunez and now you says something about this program? JW: Definitely, It’s all about Coach Cubit’s system…It’s a pass happy system and when you throw it like we do someone is bound to put up some numbers.   SWMSR: You are at the end of your sixth year in the program due to a couple of years lost to injury, would you do it differently if you could. JW: I don’t think that anyone likes to get injured but that being said, The extra time here has allowed me to become that much better at being a student, a leader and a player and I’m sure it happenned this way for a reason.   SWMSR: So you are at full strength! Not nursing anything? JW: 100 percent and no I can’t afford to nurse anything because that is often when you get hurt worse.   SWMSR: You are being looked at by several NFL scouts and teams, what are you hearing about playing on Sundays ? JW: I haven’t really got into that much. I figure that it will take care of itself. I am hoping to play at the next level though. (Editors note: my sources tell me anywhere from mid second to mid fourth round).   SWMSR: With you and Chleb (Ravenell) and Rob (Arnheim) all graduating after this season are the “cupboards bare?” JW: No definitly not, you start with Eric (Monette) and Ansel (Ponder) and others that backed-up this year and then add all of those red-shirt freshman and the receiver group should continue to be a strength of this program for many years to come.,   SWMSR: Good luck on Tuesday and with your career Jordan. JW: Thank you very much

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Broncos football season extended for Christmas

 PURDUE TO FACE WESTERN MICHIGAN

IN 2011 LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA BOWL

Courtesy of  Tim Moore , LCPB Media Relations  

DETROIT — Boilermakers make their second appearance in the Detroit bowl; Broncos to appear in Detroit bowl for the first time

The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl announced today that the Purdue Boilermakers of the Big Ten will meet the Western Michigan Broncos of the Mid-American Conference on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 (4:30pm – ESPN) in Detroit.

Western Michigan enters the bowl with a 7 – 5 record, winning three out of its last four games and owning a 38 – 31 win over Connecticut (UConn) of the Big East Conference during the season.

Purdue’s Boilermakers enter the bowl with a 6 – 6 record, winning two of its last three games including an impressive win over perennial national power, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

“We are excited to have Purdue and Western Michigan in the 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. Both teams have significant fan bases and will no doubt bring that support with them to Detroit,” said CEO & Executive Director Ken Hoffman. “The Boilermakers played in a very competitive Big Ten this season that produced ten bowl eligible teams.

WMU played a non-conference schedule that included Michigan in Ann Arbor, Illinois in Champagne, and a win at UConn. We expect an outstanding game, with Purdue having averaged more than 26 points and Western Michigan averaging over 35 points per game, including averaging 50 point in their last four games.”

The Broncos posted a 2-2 record against nonconference opponents this season. They are led by the nation’s leading receiver Jordan White, who leads the FBS in total receiving yards (1,646), receiving yards per game (137.17), total receptions (127) and receptions per game (10.58). Quarterback Alex Carder surpassed his yardage total from last season (3,434) and has been prolific with TD passes (29). Defensive tackle Drew Nowak was the 2011 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, ranking fifth in the FBS in tackles per loss per game (1.67) and fourth in total TFLs (20.0)

“On behalf of Western Michigan University, our Football team and 114,500 alumni living in Michigan (with 33,000 of those calling metro Detroit home), we are honored to accept the invitation to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl,” commented WMU athletic director Kathy Beauregard. “We’re proud to represent the Mid-American Conference against a prominent Big Ten opponent in Purdue, in front of a national audience on December 27. It is definitely a great day to be a Bronco!”

The Boilermakers posted a 2-2 record against nonconference foes in 2011. Purdue boasts the nation’s best kickoff return team (27.5 yard average) and one of the most dynamic freshmen in Raheem Mostert, who leads the Big Ten with a 31.0-yard average. The quarterback duo of Miami-transfer Robert Marve and Caleb TerBush has combined to complete 60 percent of their passes (2,361 yards, 15 touchdowns). Defensive tackle Kawann Short, Jr. tied for third in Big Ten and 13th nationally in tackles for loss (17) and tied for fourth in the conference in sacks (6.5). Kicker Carson Wiggs ranks second in the Big Ten in field goals (16-21) and has made his last nine.

“Our goal was to play one more game this year, and we will use this game against Western Michigan as a springboard into the 2012 season,” Purdue athletics director Morgan Burke said. “We’re excited to return to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. There are nearly 200,000 Purdue alumni within a four-hour drive of Detroit, and this game will provide a great opportunity for them to get together, root on the Boilermakers and share some holiday cheer. We had a great time and an exciting game in 2007, and look forward to another one this year.”2

Purdue’s appearance will be the third by a Big Ten Conference team in the Detroit bowl and Purdue’s second. Northwestern, with San Diego Charger defensive lineman Luis Castillo and Pittsburgh Steeler offensive tackle Trai Essex, competed against 25th ranked Bowling Green in 2003. Purdue, led by New York Jets Tight End Dustin Keller and Detroit Lions Linebacker Cliff Avril, played against Central Michigan in the bowl in 2007.

Western Michigan’s appearance will be its first appearance in the Detroit bowl, although the MAC has been represented in each year of the bowl. Under Head Coach Bill Cubit, the Broncos have been bowl eligible five times over the past seven seasons. The Broncos, with Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back E.J. Biggers, played in the 2007 International Bowl in Toronto. They also competed in the 2008 Texas Bowl.

 

“We are doubly excited about the national promotions and enhancements planned through Little Caesars Pizza, our title sponsor,” said Ken Hoffman. “These exciting activities will make this an exceptional bowl experience for players and fans.”

The 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl will be played before a national television audience on ESPN. The game will be in downtown Detroit’s Ford Field for the tenth consecutive season, after five years at the Pontiac Silverdome.

The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is now in its 15th year of bringing major college football bowl action to football fans across the country during the holiday season. From 1997 through 2008 the bowl was known as the Motor City Bowl. The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is the only major college football bowl game located in the Midwest United States.

Tickets are now on sale at TicketMaster outlets or by calling 248-645-6666. Tickets are also on sale at the Ford Field Box Office and at the Purdue University and Western Michigan University athletic ticket offices. The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl website is located at www.littlecaesarspizzabowl.com.

 

 

Broncos get first win of 2011-12 basketball season

By Alan Gerould, Editor, SW Michigan Sports Review

PORTAGE –  Observations from Wednesday night’s 80-58 win over Division III Hope College… Trivia question — Name 10 colleges with mascots whose last letter is not a “s”… One would be WMU’s Wednesday night opponent, the “Flying Dutchmen”… Hope travels as well as any school in the MAC, bringing hundreds of fans with them to University arena. I’m guessing that 25% of the announced crowd of 3384 were adorned in orange and blue. .. Ironically the last team to bring so many of their own with them, was the University of Illinois (Fighting Illini — there’s two) also wearing the blue and orange… This marks the first time in a long time that I thought the actual attendance was larger than that announced…I was thinking more like 4,000.

Congratulations to Flenard Whitfield who went over the coveted 1,000 career points mark with two made free throws in the first half. Whitfield led both teams with 22 points and 11 rebounds…. The WMU Criminal Justice Department claims all four seniors Whitfield, Demetrius Ward, Mikey Douglas and Caleb Dean… I wouldn’t want to be breaking any laws with those guys on patrol.

Speaking of free throws, the Broncos still are struggling at the charity stripe, converting only 9-18 attempts (50 percent) against the Dutchmen… that’s just terrible. I’d bet that most high school girl’s basketball teams shoot a higher percentage than that…the other problem has been turnovers. The Brown and Gold had another 20 against Hope. If they could just cut those in half, they would have another 6-10 opportunities per game, to put up points….

Matt Stainbrook had another solid game with 19 points including the first eight for WMU.  He still is a whiner however, albeit a more “mature” whiner…The John Prince award, this week goes to…well, John Prince a man who is able to find the negative in even the most silver cloud… Lighten up JP, it really is only a game…

Senior point guard Mikey Douglas was in street clothes due to a shoulder injury…Mikey you looked very sharp and collegiate!!! Has anyone besides me thought that Bronco tight end’s coach Jake Moreland, who was in attendance at Wednesday’s game is a dead ringer for Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor… Another note while on football…Congratulations to Bronco Defensive Tackle Drew Nowak who was selected the MAC’s Defensive Player of the Year.

The following gamer was provided by Sean Fagan, WMU Media Relations…

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men’s basketball team snapped its season-opening six-game losing streak in a big way on Wednesday, defeating the Hope Flying Dutchmen 80-58 in the 2011 home opener at University Arena. With the win, the Broncos improve to 1-6 overall, while Hope falls to 4-1 with the loss. In the process, the Broncos’ Flenard Whitfield made a part of WMU history when he became the 35th member of the 1,000-point Club at Western Michigan. Whitfield officially hit the mark with 3:11 remaining in the first half, draining a pair of free throws to give the Broncos a 37-19 lead. Whitfield finished the game with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting; he added a game-high 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

 Sophomore Matt Stainbrook finished one point shy of his third 20-point game of the season, notching 19 points and eight rebounds. Austin Richie recorded his first career double-digit scoring game in his first career start, adding 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

 The Broncos began the game on a 12-4 run, with Stainbrook bullying the Flying Dutchmen down low with 10 of the first 12 Bronco points. WMU held the Dutchmen to just two field goals over the course of the first 5:35, and would induce another five-minute drought moments later as part of a 15-3 run for the Broncos. The Broncos built on their lead when Whitfield threw down a two-handed dunk to give his team a 25-9 lead, and Richie would expand the lead to 17 points with a three-pointer at the 8:43 mark.

 The Broncos established their biggest lead of the night at the 7:45 mark when Whitfield struck again, this time with a two-handed reverse dunk to make it 32-11. Shayne Whittington would score as time expired in the half, laying one off the glass to give WMU a 41-25 lead.

 The Broncos kept the heat on in the second half, never allowing the Flying Dutchmen to get within 10 points at any time in the final stanza. Hope’s Nate VanArendonk would make it as close as it would be for the rest of the game when he hit a jumper in the paint at the 18:47 mark, cutting the Broncos’ lead to 43-31.

 Stainbrook responded with buckets on consecutive possessions, including a three-pointer from the head of the key, to spark a 15-6 run for WMU. Richie would collect an offensive rebound and lay it in at 16:38, his tenth point of the night, and Demetrius Ward would push the lead to 21 points with a pair of free throws at the 15:25 mark to make it 56-35.

 Ward would eventually set the Broncos’ biggest lead of the night with a jumper at the 13:04 mark, making it 58-36. Senior center Caleb Dean maintained that lead and set the final score of the night with a lay-up with 2:01 remaining, giving WMU an 80-58 lead which stood as the final difference.

David Brown made his first start of the season, recording a season-high nine points to go with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.  Whittington finished with six rebounds. 

Must win at “Cradle of Coaches”

Opinion by Alan Gerould, Editor SW Michigan Sports Review

PORTAGE — How many times can one say this is a ‘must game” and still retain a modicum of  credibility. I admit to making at least three games “must wins” starting with Central Michigan (we did) and then Ball State (we did) and Toledo (we didn’t), well today I make tonight’s game at Miami another “must win” for the following reason(s).

Even though Miami is favored and defending MAC champs… didn’t all of us have this penciled in as a win earlier in the year before the NIU, EMU, Toledo debacles? Probably the biggest reason is that they must win in order to have any reasonable chance of getting to a post season bowl game. They must win because the pressure on Kathy Beauregard to make a coaching change might finally become the majority view and frankly I like Bill Cubit and think he is a great for this program and this community.

Enough said for the time being. I think the Broncos defense is pissed off and will be flying around in Oxford tonight. I’m thinking that Potter kicks a couple and we score 4 tds…make it WMU 34, Miami 24.