Chippewas Come From Behind to Win Season Opener 83-78 at Louisiana Monroe

Monday, November 2

Monroe, La./b1Bank Fant Coliseum

7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT

Central Michigan University

1-0,0-0MAC

Louisiana-Monroe

0-1,0-0Sun Belt

Team	1	2	F
Central Mich.	32	51	83
ULM	43	35	78

CMU Game Notes (PDF)Full Game Book (PDF)

Chippewas Come From Behind to Win Season Opener 83-78 at Louisiana Monroe Image

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

11/2/2026 11:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Full Game Book (PDF)

Phat Phat Brooks, Conrad Luczynski score 14 points; Keenan Garner adds his fourth career double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds), Jalen Kampen hits career-high three 3-pointers in MAC-SBC Challenge victory.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

MONROE, La.—Central Michigan scored seven of the game's final nine points and erased a 14-point second half deficit to claim an 83-78 season opening victory over host Louisiana Monroe on Monday night at b1Bank Fant Coliseum. The game was played as part of the MAC-SBC Challenge.

It was a total team effort as Central Michigan placed five scorers in double figures. Phat Phat Brooks (six assists, three 3-pointers) and Conrad Luczynski both led the Chippewas with 14 points apiece. Keenan Garner registered his fourth career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, Jaxson Whitaker added 11 points and three 3-pointers, Jalen Kampen hit several key shots and finished with a career-high three 3-pointers, nine points, and a career-high eight rebounds, and Jayson Petty scored 10 points off the bench, including a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line.

In the second half, Central Michigan outscored UL Monroe 51-35, shot 58.1 percent (18-31) from the floor, and converted 9-16 from 3-point range. CMU also outrebounded the Warhawks 40-38.

Central Michigan outscored UL Monroe 7-2 over the game's final 3:16. Luczynski's turnaround jumper tied the game at 76-76, then Brooks followed with a 3-pointer to give the Chippewas the lead for good. After ULM's Philip Tillman scored on a layup to make it 79-78, Luczynski answered with a dunk on a pick and roll play with Brooks for an 81-78 lead with 42 seconds left. ULM had two offensive opportunities but couldn't convert and Petty put the game away as he converted two free throws with 10 seconds left.

After trailing by 11 points at halftime, UL Monroe pushed its lead to as many as 14 points early in the second half. But the Chippewas hung around and slowly chipped away at the deficit. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Kampen and Whitaker, coupled with a fast break layup by Brooks trimmed the deficit to one point (63-62) with nine minutes to go. A 9-0 run fueled by three straight 3-pointers by Brooks, Garner, and Kampen tied the game at 71-71 with 5:21 to play. Another Kampen 3-pointer tied the game at 74-74 with 4:14 to go.

Central Michigan head coach Andy Bronkema was most pleased with his team's resilience and ability to overcome adversity.

"What a job by our guys, just sticking with it, and bouncing back from negative plays in a positive way," Bronkema said. "In the first half, we got in a little foul trouble and had some guys playing positions that they haven't had as many reps in," Bronkema said. "The last 2:52, we got loose with the ball, it got deflected, which is their superpower, and they made a run. We just said, 'Don't do that anymore and keep wearing on them.' In a game like that, some guys stepped up and made some huge plays, knocking down big shots, and we made a key run down the stretch. We withstood 16 turnovers, but it was really that one stretch right before halftime that we had to correct. We did, and we just hung in there. The guys really believed."

"We made some huge plays, it was a team win today."

Central Michigan finished the contest with 12 3-pointers. Brooks and Kampen both hit a career-high three 3-pointers and Whitaker finished with three.

"Jalen's been doing it in practice and practice is sacred," Bronkema said. "Guys stepped up and made big plays. Credit to Jalen. We had a few friendly rolls."

After a back-and-forth first half that featured seven ties and six lead changes, UL Monroe outscored Central Michigan 13-2 over the final 3:30 of the first half to take a commanding 43-32 halftime lead. The Chippewas were held without a field goal for the last four minutes of the first half as the Warhawks were led by Quaran McPherson's 14 points and Dayjaun Anderson's 11 points.

Ziyade Ndancky started the 13-2 run with a layup, Philip Tillman contributed a free throw, Lance Carr followed with a dunk, Anderson made a free throw then followed with a step back jumper for a 39-30 lead. After CMU's Petty hit two free throws, Mike White hit two free throws, and McPherson closed the half with a pull up jumper and 11-point halftime lead.

Earlier in the first half, Central Michigan held a six-point lead at the 4:20 mark.

UL Monroe was led by McPherson, who scored a game-high 24 points (4-6 3-pointers). Anderson finished with 19 and Ndancky added 14.

Central Michigan won its second straight season-opener and improves to 5-2 all-time in MAC-SBC Challenge games.

Next up, Central Michigan returns home to play its home opener against Alma on Friday night at McGuirk Arena. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET.

—CMU—