Central Michigan University
San Diego State
Dramatic OT Win For Chippewa Women
11/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
BIMINI, Bahamas â€" Tinara Moore scored 27 points and grabbed 19 rebounds and the Central Michigan women's basketball team rallied from a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit on Friday in posting an 85-76 overtime victory over San Diego State in the Junkanoo Jam.
The Chippewas (3-1) will close the tournament on Saturday (6:45 p.m.) against Iowa State (3-1), which defeated Tulane, 67-64, on Friday.
CMU trailed by seven points, 70-63, with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, and clawed back to tie 73-73 when freshman guard Micaela Kelly hit a jumper with 6 second remaining to send it to the extra session.
The Chippewas outscored the Aztecs, 12-3, in overtime to nail down the victory.
"She did a really nice job of reading her defense and was able to penetrate," CMU coach Sue Guevara said of Kelly on her dramatic game-tying shot. "We talked about finishing the play and she did that. We finished the play in regulation and that gave us another five minutes to get something done."
Presley Hudson added 16 points for the Chippewas, Kelly had 13, Reyna Frost had 11 and 15 rebounds, and Cassie Breen added 10 points. McKynzie Fort scored 21 points to lead San Diego State.
Hudson, the Chippewas' floor leader and top scorer, fouled out with 2:22 remaining regulation. That left it up to Kelly and fellow freshman Maddy Watters to man the backcourt for CMU.
Watters finished with six points and three assists in 18 minutes, while Kelly grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists.
"You saw Maddy Watters grow up today," Guevara said. "She has been struggling but gave us good minutes. I could not be happier or more proud. When your floor leader goes out, it forced (Kelly and Watters) to grow up and it's a nice win against a good team."
It was Frost's second double-double of the season, and the first for Moore. Frost entered the game tied for third in the nation at 14.3 rebounds per game. CMU outrebounded San Diego State 54-40.
Breen opened the overtime with a 3-pointer to put the Chippewas in front, 76-73. They never trailed after that. A Watters triple with 2:37 to go upped the lead to six, 80-74, and Kelly hit a jumper and a free throw in the final 29 seconds to salt it away.
