# 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.
The MAC announced the removal of division play in-conference beginning this year.

## Previous season

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.
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. On April 2, it was announced that long-time assistant Clayton Bates would be named the Broncos' next head coach.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | 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 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | MTI Center Angola, IN |
| December 2, 2020* 7:00 pm | at Notre Dame | Canceled due to COVID-19 | 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 | 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 | Postponed | University Arena Kalamazoo, MI |
| January 19, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | at Eastern Michigan | Canceled | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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