Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, January 24
Kalamazoo, Mich./Read FieldHouse/University Arena
6:00 PM
Central Michigan University
5-15,1-7MAC
65
at
77
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Western Michigan
8-12,2-6MAC
1
2
F
Central Mich.
31
34
65
Western Mich.
35
42
77
Team Stats
CMU
WMU
FG%
.362
.444
3FG%
.174
.316
FT%
.731
.697
RB
35
39
TO
11
7
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Western Michigan Wins First of Two-Game Series 77-65
1/24/2026 9:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Western Michigan uses second half 8-0 run, 20-point performance from Jayden Brewer to defeat Chippewas; Keenan Garner registers first career double-double with 16 points and career-high 12 rebounds; Nathan Claerbaut scores a team-high 17 points for the Chippewas.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan used a late 8-0 run to open up a closely contested game as the host Broncos claimed a 77-65 men's basketball rivalry win over Central Michigan Saturday evening at University Arena. The rivals will meet again in Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The loss snapped a four-game Central Michigan win streak in its series vs. Western Michigan and a two-game win streak vs. the Broncos in Kalamazoo.
Next up, Central Michigan plays two consecutive home games as it hosts Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night at 7 p.m., then hosts Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 31 for the highly anticipated Toilet Paper Toss beginning at 7 p.m.
Western Michigan was led by Jayden Brewer, who scored a game-high 20 points on 7-14 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds. Brewer was supported by EJ Ryans, who finished with 15 points (9-10 free throws), and Justice Williams with 14 points (4-9 3-pointers). Max Burton added nine points and nine rebounds.
Central Michigan's Keenan Garner has his best performance in a Chippewa uniform with his first-ever career double-double of 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, including seven offensives. Garner hit 5-9 field goals, one 3-pointer and 5-6 free throws. Center Nathan Claerbaut scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed five rebounds, Phat Phat Brooks finished with 12 points and Logan McIntire added 10 points and three 3-pointers.
After a back-and-forth battle, Western Michigan used an 8-0 run to take a 45-36 lead with 12:25 to play. Carson Vis scored on a driving layup, Burton finished off an offensive rebound with a layup, and then Williams hit a 3-pointer in the corner, Vis followed with a free throw before CMU finally scored. Western Michigan pushed its lead to 10 points on two Brewer free throws with 8:40 to play.
The Broncos went up 59-47 on a 3-pointer by Justice Williams and a tipin dunk by Brewer.
"Credit to Western Michigan, they were hitting fadeaway shots, and their bigs were way more physical than our bigs," Central Michigan head coach Andy Bronkema said. "They sealed us off. They made some really big plays. The tip-dunk was a big play."
"Keenan Garner has better emotion and better energy than the normal human. He's very coachable, he's the heart and soul of the team, and he's playing his best basketball of his career. We couldn't take him off the floor, a huge double-double tonight. I'm proud of him and a lot of these guys."
Western Michigan scored nine of the last 13 points of the first half to take a 35-31 halftime lead. A 3-pointer by Williams gave the Broncos their largest lead of the game, six points (35-29).
Central Michigan jumped out to a hot start and 17-9 lead seven minutes into the game. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Garner and McIntire fueled the run. McIntire hit another 3-pointer to put the Chippewas up 20-15 at the 9:46 mark. But Western Michigan came back to tie the game, then took a 25-23 lead with a 6-0 run. Vis' layup gave the Broncos their first lead since the opening minutes of the game.
The game featured five lead changes and six ties.
The Chippewas started Tamario Adley, Phat Phat Brooks, and Logan McIntire at guard, Keenan Garner at forward, and Nathan Claerbaut at center.
The loss drops Central Michigan to 5-15 overall and 1-7 in the MAC, while Western Michigan improves to 8-12 overall and 2-6 in the MAC.
The loss snapped a four-game Central Michigan win streak in its series vs. Western Michigan and a two-game win streak vs. the Broncos in Kalamazoo.
Next up, Central Michigan plays two consecutive home games as it hosts Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night at 7 p.m., then hosts Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 31 for the highly anticipated Toilet Paper Toss beginning at 7 p.m.
Western Michigan was led by Jayden Brewer, who scored a game-high 20 points on 7-14 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds. Brewer was supported by EJ Ryans, who finished with 15 points (9-10 free throws), and Justice Williams with 14 points (4-9 3-pointers). Max Burton added nine points and nine rebounds.
Central Michigan's Keenan Garner has his best performance in a Chippewa uniform with his first-ever career double-double of 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, including seven offensives. Garner hit 5-9 field goals, one 3-pointer and 5-6 free throws. Center Nathan Claerbaut scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed five rebounds, Phat Phat Brooks finished with 12 points and Logan McIntire added 10 points and three 3-pointers.
After a back-and-forth battle, Western Michigan used an 8-0 run to take a 45-36 lead with 12:25 to play. Carson Vis scored on a driving layup, Burton finished off an offensive rebound with a layup, and then Williams hit a 3-pointer in the corner, Vis followed with a free throw before CMU finally scored. Western Michigan pushed its lead to 10 points on two Brewer free throws with 8:40 to play.
The Broncos went up 59-47 on a 3-pointer by Justice Williams and a tipin dunk by Brewer.
"Credit to Western Michigan, they were hitting fadeaway shots, and their bigs were way more physical than our bigs," Central Michigan head coach Andy Bronkema said. "They sealed us off. They made some really big plays. The tip-dunk was a big play."
"Keenan Garner has better emotion and better energy than the normal human. He's very coachable, he's the heart and soul of the team, and he's playing his best basketball of his career. We couldn't take him off the floor, a huge double-double tonight. I'm proud of him and a lot of these guys."
Western Michigan scored nine of the last 13 points of the first half to take a 35-31 halftime lead. A 3-pointer by Williams gave the Broncos their largest lead of the game, six points (35-29).
Central Michigan jumped out to a hot start and 17-9 lead seven minutes into the game. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Garner and McIntire fueled the run. McIntire hit another 3-pointer to put the Chippewas up 20-15 at the 9:46 mark. But Western Michigan came back to tie the game, then took a 25-23 lead with a 6-0 run. Vis' layup gave the Broncos their first lead since the opening minutes of the game.
The game featured five lead changes and six ties.
The Chippewas started Tamario Adley, Phat Phat Brooks, and Logan McIntire at guard, Keenan Garner at forward, and Nathan Claerbaut at center.
The loss drops Central Michigan to 5-15 overall and 1-7 in the MAC, while Western Michigan improves to 8-12 overall and 2-6 in the MAC.
—CMU—
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Toilet Paper Toss Promotion
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