Macomb, IL. – Western Illinois men's basketball heads back on the road looking to bounce back in its next matchup against the University of Minnesota after falling 91-83 to CSU Bakersfield on Thursday night at Western Hall.
The Leathernecks got off to a strong start against the Roadrunners, opening the game with a 9-2 run and building a 10-point advantage in the first half. Western knocked down seven three-pointers before halftime and carried a 38-32 lead into the break.
Western Illinois continued its strong play to open the second half, with three-pointers from Davee Flowers and Jack Riley helping the Leathernecks regain a 10-point advantage at 44-34. Western maintained its lead into the middle stages of the half before CSU Bakersfield battled back, tying the game at 61 with 11:23 remaining. The Roadrunners eventually took control and scored 59 points in the second half to secure the victory.
Danny Stephens led the Leathernecks with 21 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Makai Kvamme added 16 points while knocking down 11-of-12 free throws, while Daivion Traylor finished with 15 points. Jack Riley chipped in 12 points, and Hunter Vaughn contributed six points and four assists.
Western Illinois finished the night shooting 43.3 percent from the field and connected on 11 three-pointers. The Leathernecks also held a 16-8 advantage in second-chance points and received 28 points from their bench.
The Leathernecks will now turn their attention to a Minnesota team that enters Monday's matchup undefeated at 4-0 after defeating Southern University 91-61 on Thursday night.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
The Gophers enter the matchup with a 4-0 overall record after opening the season with four consecutive victories, their best start since the 2021-22 campaign.
Minnesota most recently earned a 91-61 victory over Southern University behind a career-high 23-point performance from Isaac Asuma. Asuma shot 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, while adding six assists and five rebounds.
Bobby Durkin added 15 points, while Kyan Evans, Malick Kordel and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson each finished with 10 points. Crocker-Johnson also reached the 1,000-point milestone for his career during the contest.
As a team, Minnesota shot an impressive 60 percent from the field, including 13-of-27 from beyond the arc. The Gophers also controlled the glass with a 40-21 rebounding advantage and recorded 28 assists on 33 made field goals.
Minnesota has shown its offensive depth early in the season, with 10 different players scoring against Southern. The Gophers will look to maintain that balanced attack as they welcome Western Illinois to Williams Arena.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Leathernecks and Gophers are scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. CT on Monday, Nov. 16, in Minneapolis, Minn. The game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS
For all the latest information on Leatherneck Men's Basketball, visit GoLeathernecks.com. Fans can also follow Western Illinois Athletics on X, Instagram and Facebook.
