Hudson's last-second shot lifts women's basketball past Bowling Green
With 4.8 seconds left in regulation and down 75-74, Presley Hudson had the ball in her hands with a chance to win the game.
The true freshman point guard caught the ball, dribbled around a screen from fellow freshman Reyna Frost and scored the game-winning, right-handed layup as time expired giving the Central Michigan women’s basketball team a 76-75 win over Bowling Green Saturday at McGuirk Arena.
“People said they thought I was going to come off and shoot the ball,” Hudson said about the last shot. “But then I saw an open lane and I was able to get a layup, and Reyna (Frost) set a great screen for me to drive.”
For Hudson, the game-winning basket was the same play CMU called with under 20 second to go. She made the layup, but was called for a charge with 18.7 seconds to go, keeping the game tied 74-74.
However, this time, there would be no offensive foul, but only a last second shot that helped push CMU’s winning streak to six games.
The referees went to the monitor to confirm the basket, and signaled it good, sending the CMU crowd into a frenzy.
Hudson said she was conscious of how much time was left when she made her decision to drive to the basket.
“I thought I would be able to get there in time,” she said. “Luckily I put it up just before (the buzzer) went off.”
It was a win for the Chippewas that showed relentlessness, as they had to withstand 16 made 3-pointers from Bowling Green.
The Falcons seemingly couldn’t miss a shot from beyond the arc. From the 8:57 mark of the second quarter to the 3:09 mark of the third, the Falcons went 11-for-11 from the 3-point line, giving them a 59-47 lead in the third quarter.
“We weren’t closing out tight enough,” Head Coach Sue Guevara said. “We had hands in their faces and they were still going in. You have to pick your poison sometimes, but the 3-ball didn’t hurt us down the stretch.”
The Chippewas switch up their defense and went to a full-court press near the end of the third quarter and into the fourth, helping them climb back into the game.
“(The press) sped them up,” Guevara said. “(We did it) just so they couldn’t stay in their rhythm the whole time and just to change the tempo. It was effective.”
CMU trailed 71-59 with 6:32 left in the game. That’s when the Chippewas made their final push.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Hudson and sophomore Cassie Breen cut BGSU’s lead to 71-65. Junior Jewel Cotton followed up with a layup making it 71-67.
After a free-throw from the Falcons, Hudson hit a step-back, rainbow 3-pointer as the shot clock ran out to bring the Chippewas to within two points.
“When it left my hand, it felt good,” Hudson said about the shot. “I didn’t know if it was going to be an air ball because it went really high, but when it went in I was like, ‘Yes’. I practice far out shots just in case I need them.”
Hudson found Frost for a wide open jumper that capped a 13-1 run over four minutes of play. The Chippewas took their first lead of the game after Cotton hit a jumper giving CMU a 74-72 lead with a minute in regulation.
BGSU knocked down three free throws in six attempts in the waning seconds to set the stage for Hudson’s clutch shot.
“We ran the play, she went to the basket and finished the play,” Guevara said. “That’s exactly who we wanted the ball in their hands.”
Frost led the Chippewas with 24 points, followed by 15 from Breen, 14 from Hudson and 11 from Tinara Moore. It was Breen's first game back since having her appendix removed last weekend.
CMU started the game 0-for-8 from the field, including missed layups, and the Falcons capitalized taking a 17-11 lead into the second quarter. Despite the Falcons great shooting, CMU battled back and trailed 38-36 heading into halftime.
This was the second straight last-second win for CMU, proving the team has the ability to win close games. Frost blocked what could have been the game-winning shot on Wednesday to help CMU beat Eastern Michigan by one point.
“We believe in each other,” Frost said. “We’re strong enough to push through, even though we’re young.”
