WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS

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Dwyer helps WMU women's basketball survive late rally

by Gazette Staff Reports

Wednesday December 03, 2008, 1:57 AM

Molly Dwyer

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- After a dominating first half, the final 20 minutes didn't go exactly as planned for Western Michigan University's women's basketball team, coach Tasha McDowell said.

Still, the Broncos recovered in time to fight back against a furious rally by Central Connecticut State for a 68-52 nonconference win Tuesday night.

"It's hard when you're up by 20-something points to come out and match the same intensity," McDowell said.

Leading 32-11 at the half after holding Central Connecticut (3-4) scoreless for more than seven minutes, WMU allowed the Blue Devils to pull within three points with 9:38 remaining in the game.

Miame Giden

A pair of free throws by Miame Giden stopped Central Connecticut State's charge, but Molly Dwyer's back-to-back 3-pointers put the Broncos (2-4) back in control.

"They were huge," McDowell said of Dwyer's shots, two of three she sank on her way to 11 points. "We challenged her to shoot the ball. That was huge for us. We need her to do that. We consider her one of our 3-point specialists."

WMU's first-half shooting, which included nine points from Giden, helped boost the Broncos' overall shooting percentage from the field to 40 percent, a first this season, McDowell said.

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Kalamazoo mayor proclaims today "Greg Jennings Day'

by Graham Couch | Kalamazoo Gazette

Tuesday December 02, 2008, 11:16 AM

Associated Press fileGreg Jennings kneels in the end zone after catching a touchdown pass earlier this season.

KALAMAZOO -- In an effort to send Kalamazoo native and Green Bay Packers star Greg Jennings to his first Pro Bowl, Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell proclaimed Tuesday "Greg Jennings Day" at a city commissioners meeting Monday night.

It's part of what those close to Jennings hope will be a day of mass Online voting -- at GJ85.com or NFL.com -- to elect the NFL's fourth-leading receiver to the postseason all-star game.

Buttons and T-shirts will be given away at Kalamazoo Central High School, one of several schools and colleges taking part in the campaign, unbeknownst to Jennings.

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Hawkins seeks stability for second unit with new rotation

by Graham Couch | Kalamazoo Gazette

Tuesday December 02, 2008, 9:06 AM

Kool takes over point; Redell, Drews to come off bench

Mike Farrell / Special to the GazetteDavid Kool is sliding over from shooting guard to starting point guard as part of Western Michigan's new lineup.

KALAMAZOO -- Steve Hawkins equated it with the selfless acceptance of a couple seniors on his greatest team.

After Monday morning's practice, Western Michigan University's men's basketball coach informed point guard Michael Redell and forward Derek Drews -- both playing relatively well as starters in their final year at WMU -- that the program would be better served with them coming off the bench.

"It's two incredibly unselfish kids sacrificing the notoriety of the starting lineup for the overall good of the team," said Hawkins, who made a similar request of seniors Reggie Berry and Bobby Madison during the Broncos' run to the NCAA tournament in 2003-04.

Monday's move was part of a rotation shake-up designed to inject consistency and production into a struggling second unit that, through last Saturday's loss to IUPUI, included four true freshmen and junior Martelle McLemore.

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Hawkins shakes up Broncos' rotation

by Graham Couch | Kalamazoo Gazette

Monday December 01, 2008, 1:26 PM

KALAMAZOO -- Seeking consistency from his second unit, Western Michigan University men's basketball coach Steve Hawkins has decided to shake up his starting lineup.

David Kool will take over the starting point guard duties, with Shawntes Gary sliding over from wing to shooting guard, Martelle McLemore taking Gary's spot at the wing and Flenard Whitfield starting at power forward.

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Western Michigan volleyball team draws Dayton in first round of NCAA tournament

by Paul Morgan | Kalamazoo Gazette

Monday December 01, 2008, 12:05 AM

KALAMAZOO -- Losing two of its last three matches of the regular season didn't hurt Western Michigan University's volleyball team as much as the Broncos thought.

WMU was chosen on Sunday as an at-large team to the NCAA postseason tournament, which begins at campus sites later this week.

The Broncos (26-6) will play the host Dayton Flyers (21-12) on Friday night. The other match on Friday at Dayton is Tulane vs. Tennessee Tech.

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McDowell, Western Michigan women's basketball team post first win

by Kalamazoo Gazette Staff Reports

Monday December 01, 2008, 12:01 AM

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- Freshman Miame Giden scored a game-high 16 points and Tiera DeLaHoussaye added 12 to give Western Michigan University's first-year coach, Tasha McDowell, her first victory.

The Broncos used a second-half surge for a 54-44 win against host Iona College in the Thanksgiving Classic on Sunday.

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Bronco hockey team rallies for a point

by Rick Shanley | Special to the Gazette

Saturday November 29, 2008, 11:38 PM

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame started its engine, made sure its No. 2 ranking was buckled up in the back seat, sped ahead with a couple of early goals, then flipped on the cruise control.

A two-goal lead on home ice?

The Fighting Irish knew this route.

They didn't know Western Michigan, wearing black, was about to jump out of the shadows and throw a spike strip across the road.

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Not so Kool: IUPUI lights up WMU

by Graham Couch | Kalamazoo Gazette

Saturday November 29, 2008, 10:40 PM

Broncos' star, freshmen struggle again in fifth loss

Shawano Cleary / Special to the GazetteWestern Michigan's David Kool has his shot blocked by IUPUI's Robert Glenn during the second half Saturday. IUPUI's eight-point win was its first ever on the road against a MAC program. It had been 0-6 before Saturday.

KALAMAZOO -- David Kool could've done without the reminder of what a good shooting performance looks like.

He would have gladly forgone watching his opponent's star guard triumphantly return to lead a bunch of young pups to victory.

By the end Western Michigan University's 76-68 loss to IUPUI on Saturday afternoon, Kool might have preferred to just skip the last week altogether.

After eight days, WMU all-league junior found himself in a career-worst shooting slump -- including his time in the vaunted daycare league -- and with the team that looks to him setting an eight-year mark for futility.

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