Men's Basketball Goes to Overtime to Defeat Buffalo, 87-78

Saturday, January 14

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

4:30 p.m.

Central Michigan University

7-10,2-2MAC

Buffalo

8-9,2-2MAC

OT 1

Buffalo

Central Mich.

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

1/14/2023 8:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Chippewas show great resiliency, make all the key plays down the stretch in the second half and overtime; Jesse Zarzuela scores a career-high 29 points, Reggie Bass finishes with 21; Zarzuela and Bass score all 17 points for CMU in overtime; CMU snaps 12-game losing streak to Buffalo.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Junior Jesse Zarzuela scored a career-high 29 points and freshman Reggie Bass added 21 as Central Michigan erased a five-point deficit late in regulation to force overtime, then dominated the overtime period to notch an exciting 87-78 victory over Buffalo Saturday at McGuirk Arena.

Trailing by five points (64-59) with 2:48 to play, Central Michigan started its comeback. The Chippewas quickly tied the game at 64-64 with a 5-0 run, taking advantage of a 3-point play by Miroslav Stafl and two Bass free throws. Two Zarzuela free throws gave CMU the lead back, 66-65, but Buffalo's Curtis Jones hit a 3-pointer to give the Bulls a 68-66 lead with 1:16 to go. Zarzuela tied it at 68-68 on a stepback jumper, but after Jones drew a foul and hit two free throws, Buffalo still held a 70-68 lead with 18 seconds to play, Central Michigan had possession with eight seconds on the clock under its own basket. The Chippewas inbounded, Bass dribbled up the floor, handed off to Zarzuela, who drove to the basket and found junior Carrington McCaskill whose layup at the buzzer tied the game at 70-70 and forced overtime.

It was all CMU in overtime as Central Michigan outscored Buffalo 17-8. The Chippewas scored on each of their first five overtime possessions and used a 10-0 run to take a commanding 80-70 lead with 1:52 to play. After winning the jump ball, Bass swished a 3-pointer to give CMU the lead at the 4:26 mark, On the next possession, Zarzuela came down the floor and hit a floating jumper, and following a Buffalo turnover, swished a pull-up jumper for a 77-70 lead with 3:05 to play. Zarzuela (11 points) and Bass (six points) combined to score all 17 of Central Michigan's points in overtime.

"We want to be that team that plays with poise and composure come winning time, the last three minutes of the game and overtime," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "I thought we were the most poised and composed team, starting with the last play that tied the game. We work on our winning-time plays that we've got to go to, full-court, 10 seconds or less, that's a play we work on all the time. We executed to perfection and scored before the buzzer. Then before overtime, all I talked about in the huddle was for the first two minutes of this overtime, let's put the pressure on them and see what happens. We did that. We were able to score, get stops, score, get stops. All of a sudden, that basket becomes smaller for them."

The winning interview with Jesse Zarzuela and Coach Barbee🏆😆#FireUpChips🔥⬆️🏀 pic.twitter.com/ZT1DYGO9Vf
— CMU Men's Basketball (@CMUMensBBall) January 15, 2023

The victory was also important from a historical perspective. Coming into the game, Central Michigan had lost 12 consecutive games to Buffalo dating back to a Feb. 14, 2015 victory. The Chippewas also snapped a two-game losing skid.

After missing each of CMU's last two games with an injury, both losses, Zarzuela returned to action for the Chippewas. He hit eight of 16 field goals, 3-8 3-pointers, converted 10-12 free throws, dished out four assists and grabbed four rebounds. Bass registered his second career 20-point game as he hit 4-10 field goals, 3-8 3-pointers, and added a team-high six assists and six rebounds. Senior Brian Taylor was the third Chippewas player to reach double figure scoring as he scored 14 points on 3-9 3-point shooting.

"Jesse was big for us tonight," Barbee said. "You count on your veteran players to carry you. When they're missing, it hurts because now, you're counting on these freshmen who are still learning on the fly. You get the veterans back and you see not only what their experience brings you, but their talent. He did that tonight by making big plays and making them down the stretch."

We are not done yet!❌#FireUpChips🔥⬆️🏀 pic.twitter.com/QEW7S9t3Yh
— CMU Men's Basketball (@CMUMensBBall) January 14, 2023

The game proved to be a tale of two halves.

In the first half, Central Michigan put together its best stretch of the season combining suffocating defense and efficient offense as it built a 40-30 halftime lead by outscoring Buffalo 26-14 over the final 10 minutes of the first half. Trailing 16-14, Central Michigan used an 8-0 run to jump out to a 22-16 lead with 7:51 to go in the first half. Zarzuela started the rally with a 3-pointer, Ola Ajiboye converted a 3-point play and layup off a pass from a driving Bass, and Nicolas Pavrette scored on a layup for CMU's lead.

Later, CMU went up 30-18 with 5:23 to go in the first half when Taylor and Bass hit 3-pointers. A turnaround layup by Pavrette kept the Bulls at bay. When the half ended, CMU shot 46.7 percent (14-30), registered assists on nine of 14 field goals, Zarzuela scored 10 points in the first half, followed by nine points from Bass.

Buffalo quickly got back into the game with a 13-0 run to start the second half. CMU missed its first 10 shots of the second half and the Bulls held the Chippewas scoreless until Bass hit a free throw seven minutes into the period. Buffalo's Jonnivius Smith began the run as he hit a hook shot, Smith followed with a free throw, then Curtis Jones scored on a driving layup, LaQuill Hardnett followed with a layup and Smith threw down a dunk as CMU's lead was cut to one point (40-39) at the 16:21 mark. Hardnett gave the Bulls the lead with two free throws (41-40) and Isaiah Adams made it 43-40 Buffalo with a layup.

But the Chippewas showed great resolve and remained in the game. After Buffalo went up 48-44, McCaskill answered with a 3-point play of his own at the 11:10 mark. Bass found Taylor for a key alley-oop fast break dunk off a Zarzuela steal to keep the Chippewas within one point at 50-49. A Taylor corner 3-pointer tied the game at 52-52 with 9:30 to play. Zarzuela tied the game at 56-56 with 7:10 to play on a long 3-pointer from the top of the key. Taylor hit a driving jumper and was fouled while shooting for a three-point play with 5:02 left.

Buffalo built its 64-59 lead on two free throws and a steal and dunk by Powell with 2:48 to go.

"It was satisfying holding serve and holding court," Barbee said. "If you're going to be one of those teams that advances to the MAC Tournament in March, you've got to hold serve at home. We did that tonight against Buffalo, a team that CMU has struggled with in recent history. Obviously, we've been bitten by the injury bug, and it bit us again as Markus Harding is out. When you start to get somewhat healthy, and not having Jesse Zarzuela the last two games, it shows the difference in our team. It makes us a different team. Hopefully, we can continue to get healthier and healthier and live up to our potential and become the team I think we can be."

WOW🤩 Jesse Zarzuela was on fire tonight🔥🔥#FireUpChips🔥⬆️🏀 pic.twitter.com/GNdZvALLmE
— CMU Men's Basketball (@CMUMensBBall) January 15, 2023

Buffalo was led by Jones, who finished with 20 points on 4-9 3-pointers. Yazid Powell added 13 points (6-6 FG) and Isaiah Adams registered a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

With the win, Central Michigan evens its MAC record at 2-2 and improves to 7-10 overall. Buffalo drops to 2-2 in the MAC and 8-9 overall. The Chippewas also matched their entire win total from last season.

Central Michigan is back in action when it hosts second straight home contest against Akron at McGuirk Arena on Tuesday evening. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET.

—CMU—