2020–21 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team

The 2020–21 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team represented Western Michigan University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Broncos, led by first-year head coach Clayton Bates, played their home games at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan as members of the Mid-American Conference. In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they finished the season 5–16, 4–12 in MAC play to finish in ninth place. As a result, they failed to qualify for the MAC tournament.[1]

2020–21 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record5–16 (4–12 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Thomas Kelley
  • Kristof Kendrick
  • Jacob Bullock
Home arenaUniversity Arena
Seasons
2020–21 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Toledo 15 4   .789 21 9   .700
Buffalo 12 5   .706 16 9   .640
Akron 12 6   .667 15 8   .652
Kent State 12 6   .667 15 8   .652
Ohio 9 5   .643 17 8   .680
Bowling Green 10 8   .556 14 12   .538
Miami (OH) 9 8   .529 12 11   .522
Ball State 8 9   .471 10 13   .435
Western Michigan 4 12   .250 5 16   .238
Eastern Michigan 3 11   .214 6 12   .333
Central Michigan 3 13   .188 7 16   .304
Northern Illinois 2 12   .143 3 16   .158
2021 MAC tournament winner

The MAC announced the removal of division play in-conference beginning this year.[2]

Previous season

edit

The Broncos finished the 2019–20 season 13–19, 6–12 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the West Division. They lost in the first round of the MAC tournament to Toledo.[3]

On March 11, 2020, the school announced that Steve Hawkins would not be returning as head coach, ending his 17-year tenure with the team.[4] On April 2, it was announced that long-time assistant Clayton Bates would be named the Broncos' next head coach.[5]

Roster

edit
2020–21 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
F 0 Kawanise Wilkins 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 230 lb (104 kg) RS Jr Barton Community College Chicago, Illinois
F 1 Chase Barrs 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) So Berkeley Preparatory School Tampa, Florida
G 2 Adrian Martin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Jr Lanier High School Sugar Hill, Georgia
G 3 B. Artis White 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 150 lb (68 kg) So Canton High School Canton, Michigan
G 4 Daylan Hamilton 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Fr Klein Forest High School Houston, Texas
G 10 Luke Toliver 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Paw Paw High School Paw Paw, Michigan
G 11 Rafael Cruz Jr. 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Sr Triton College Chicago, Illinois
G 12 Josiah Freeman 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Fr Manassas Park High School Manassas Park, Virginia
F 15 Patrick Emilien 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Toronto Basketball Academy Toronto, Ontario, Canada
G 20 William Boyer-Richard 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf Drummondville, Quebec
C 22 Titus Wright 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) So Thomasville High School Thomasville, Georgia
F 23 Greg Lee 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Sr Cal State Bakersfield Rockford, Illinois
G 24 Jaylon Holmes 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
RS So Lincoln Trail College Gary, Indiana
G 30 Jason Whitens 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) RS Jr Powers North Central High School Powers, Michigan
F 34 Danny Kolp 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jr Northwood Petoskey, Michigan
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: January 12, 2021

Schedule and results

edit
Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 25, 2020*
6:00 pm, FS1
at Butler L 62–66  0–1
Hinkle Fieldhouse (1,500)
Indianapolis, IN
November 28, 2020*
at Trine Canceled due to COVID-19 MTI Center 
Angola, IN
December 2, 2020*
7:00 pm
at Notre Dame Canceled due to COVID-19 Purcell Pavilion 
Notre Dame, IN
December 6, 2020*
6:00 pm, BTN
at No. 8 Michigan State L 61–79  0–2
Breslin Center 
East Lansing, MI
December 7, 2020*
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Adrian College W 62–42  1–2
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
December 12, 2020*
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Detroit Mercy L 57–67  1–3
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
December 13, 2020*
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Milwaukee L 63–71  1–4
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
MAC regular season
December 18, 2020
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Central Michigan W 76–61  2–4
(1–0)
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
December 22, 2020
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Ball State L 68–76  2–5
(1–1)
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
January 2, 2021
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Toledo L 59–70  2–6
(1–2)
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
January 5, 2021
7:00 pm
at Ball State Postponed due to COVID-19 Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
January 9, 2021
4:00 pm, ESPN3
at Kent State L 54–80  2–7
(1–3)
MAC Center 
Kent, Ohio
January 12, 2021
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Buffalo L 69–85  2–8
(1–4)
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
January 16, 2021
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Miami (OH) Postponed University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
January 19, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Eastern Michigan Canceled Convocation Center 
Ypsilanti, MI
January 23, 2021
5:00 pm, ESPN+
Akron L 68–79  2–9
(1–5)
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
January 26, 2021
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Ohio L 58–81  2–10
(1–6)
Convocation Center 
Athens, OH
January 30, 2021
2:00 pm, ESPN3
at Miami (OH) L 56–65  2–11
(1–7)
Millett Hall 
Oxford, OH
February 2, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Northern Illinois Canceled University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
February 3, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Bowling Green W 76–70  3–11
(2–7)
Stroh Center 
Bowling Green, OH
February 6, 2021
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at Central Michigan W 67–65  4–11
(3–7)
McGuirk Arena 
Mount Pleasant, MI
February 9, 2021
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at Buffalo Postponed Alumni Arena 
Amherst, NY
February 12, 2021
8:00 pm, CBSSN
at Buffalo L 54–86  4–12
(3–8)
Alumni Arena 
Amherst, NY
February 13, 2021
2:00 pm
Ohio Canceled University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
February 16, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Kent State L 69–76  4–13
(3–9)
University Arena (100)
Kalamazoo, MI
February 21, 2021
7:00 pm
at Ball State Canceled Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
February 25, 2021
12:00 pm, ESPN+
Miami (OH) L 66–74  4–14
(3–10)
University Arena (100)
Kalamazoo, MI
February 27, 2021
5:00 pm, ESPN3
at Toledo L 44–91  4–15
(3–11)
Savage Arena 
Toledo, OH
March 2, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Northern Illinois W 73–63  5–15
(4–11)
Convocation Center 
DeKalb, IL
March 5, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Eastern Michigan L 63–64  5–16
(4–12)
University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.

Sources[6][7]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Why Michigan's three teams will have a lot less MAC-tion in March". Detroit Free Press. February 28, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Mid-American Conference cancels postseason tournaments for eight sports, changes basketball format". CBSSports.com. May 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Moving On! MAC Men's Quarterfinals Set". Mid-American Conference. March 9, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Steve Hawkins out at Western Michigan after 17 seasons as head coach". ESPN. March 11, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "Introducing Men's Basketball Head Coach Clayton Bates". Western Michigan University Athletics. April 2, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "2020-21 Men's Basketball Schedule". Western Michigan University Athletics. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "2020-21 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved January 12, 2021.