Western Michigan defeated the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 81-59 on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in a game streamed on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET. The win improves the Broncos to 3-1 on the season while the Mastodons fall to 1-2, a result that matters to Fort Wayne residents who follow their hometown team’s progress.

Julien Gomez led the Broncos off the bench with 19 points, shooting 6‑for‑10 overall, including 4‑for‑8 from three‑point range and a perfect 3‑for‑3 from the free‑throw line, according to the Associated Press. Augustinas Kiudulas added 15 points on 5‑for‑12 shooting (3‑for‑6 from three), and Mason Bendinger contributed 12 points on an efficient 6‑for‑7 from the field.

For Purdue Fort Wayne, Anthony Isaac and Carl Thompson III each scored 11 points, while Ashton Williamson posted nine points and recorded four steals. Adam Harakow led the Mastodons with 10 points in the first half.

The Broncos took the lead for good with 9:08 remaining in the first half and entered halftime ahead 35-28. Western Michigan extended the margin early in the second half, pulling ahead 45-34 after a 10‑0 run. Gomez scored a team‑high 14 points in the second half as the Broncos sealed the victory.

Before the game, Bleacher Nation noted that Western Michigan entered as 2.5‑point favorites on the betting line, with the over/under set at 153.5 points. The outlet also highlighted the Broncos’ defensive ranking (318th nationally, allowing 79.5 points per game) and the Mastodons’ offensive ranking (116th, averaging 78.1 points per game) from the prior season.

Looking ahead, Western Michigan will travel to Southern Indiana on Sunday, while Purdue Fort Wayne is scheduled to visit Eastern Illinois the same day.

Fort Wayne fans can stay tuned for the Mastodons’ next opportunity to rebound as the season continues.

Sources: bleachernation.com, mymotherlode.com, thescore.com