Western Michigan dominated Southern Indiana from the opening tip, building a 20-point halftime lead and cruising to an 88-74 win at University Arena. The Broncos' Jayden Brewer stole the show, posting an impressive 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead his team to a convincing victory. Southern Indiana's Cardell Bailey tried to keep his team in the game, matching Brewer's 26 points and adding 6 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Broncos' strong performance.
The first half was all Western Michigan, as they exploded for 47 points and held Southern Indiana to just 27. The Broncos' offense was clicking on all cylinders, with Brewer and EJ Ryans combining for 25 points in the opening period. Southern Indiana, on the other hand, struggled to find their rhythm, shooting just 32% from the field. The Screaming Eagles' Ismail Habib tried to keep his team afloat, scoring 12 points in the first half, but Western Michigan's defense was too strong.
The second half was more of the same, as Western Michigan continued to pull away. Despite a strong effort from Southern Indiana, who outscored the Broncos 47-41 in the final period, the deficit was too great to overcome. Trey Lewis added 12 points and 9 rebounds for Western Michigan, while Habib finished with 23 points for Southern Indiana.
The win improves Western Michigan's record to 8-13, while Southern Indiana falls to 5-15. While neither team is likely to make a deep tournament run, the victory is still an important one for the Broncos, who are trying to build momentum heading into the second half of the season.
This game was classified as a Quadrant 4 matchup for both teams, which means it won't do much to boost Western Michigan's tournament resume. However, the win does help the Broncos avoid a bad loss, which is important for a team that is still trying to find its footing. For Southern Indiana, the loss is just another setback in a difficult season. The Screaming Eagles' net ranking of 331 makes them one of the lowest-ranked teams in the country, and losses like this won't do much to improve their standing.
In the end, Western Michigan's strong performance, led by Jayden Brewer's double-double, was too much for Southern Indiana to handle. The Broncos' convincing victory gives them a much-needed boost of confidence, while the Screaming Eagles are left to regroup and try to find a way to turn their season around. As it stands, Western Michigan's tournament chances remain slim, but avoiding bad losses like this one is crucial if they want to keep their hopes alive.