Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Toledo
CMU Women Drop OT Heart-Breaker
2/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Cullen Maksimowski, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Saturday's Mid-American Conference game with Toledo had all the signs of another thrilling victory for the Central Michigan women's basketball team as Presley Hudson's buzzer-beating layup found the bottom of the net to send the game to overtime tied at 69.
The Rockets had other plans however, as they squeaked out an 81-79 victory at McGuirk Arena to halt the Chippewas' winning streak at eight games.
"We lost to better team today," CMU coach Sue Guevara said. "We lost to a team that executed down the stretch when they needed to. They were able to get shots inside, they understood time and score and that's basically why they won."
The Chippewas fall to 17-8 overall with an 11-3 mark in league play. Toledo improves to 15-10, 10-4 and draws within one game of first-place CMU in the MAC West.
Central Michigan finished the game shooting 38 percent (27-of-71) from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range. Toledo shot 51.6 percent and 42.9 percent.
"I thought our defense really let us down today," Guevara said. "We have to be able to keep people in front of us, we have to be able to look to score, and we have to get more out of certain people."
The Chippewas fell behind the Rockets early, trailing 21-12 after first quarter and trailed by 11 midway through the second quarter.
CMU clawed its way back in the second half, tying the game six times, including on a layup by Jewel Cotton to even it at 67 with seven seconds left.
An ill-advised foul by sophomore forward Tinara Moore sent Toledo's Brenae Harris to the free throw line with four seconds left, and Harris converted, putting Toledo up 69-67 with four seconds left and setting up Hudson's game-tying drive to the basket.
The Chippewas traded baskets with Toledo in overtime and found themselves down 81-79 with seven seconds left. Da'Jourie Turner received an inbounds pass and fired a contested 3-pointer that bounced off the rim to end the game.
"This team has a lot of fight in it and we're not going to give in and we're going to keep going after it," Guevara said. "We haven't felt this way in a long time, it's about 'How are we going to come back on Monday?'
"This team loves to play and compete so I know when we go into practice on Monday and watch film, they'll get it, they'll understand it, and I will see a difference in practice because that's the way it's been all year."
Moore led CMU with 16 points and had seven rebounds; Cassie Breen finished with 15 points, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.
Freshman forward Reyna Frost notched her sixth double-double of the season, scoring 12 points and bringing down 10 rebounds.
Harris led the Rockets with 23 points. Jay Bravo-Harriott added 19.
CMU will get a chance for revenge on March 1 as it goes to Toledo.
The Chippewas will return to the court Wednesday (7 p.m.) as they entertain Ball State (18-7,10-4) at McGuirk Arena. CMU defeated the Cardinals, 74-65, on Feb.10, in Muncie, Ind.
Ball State defeated Western Michigan, 60-54, Saturday to move into a two-way tie with Toledo for the second spot in the West.
