It took 45 minutes to determine a winner during Saturday’s college basketball game between Western Michigan and Ball State. Not only did the game go to overtime, the two Mid American Conference programs battled through every single second of the extra period.
An all-time awful defensive failure resulted in an electric buzzer-beater for the visitors.
The game was tied at 76 with 1.6 seconds remaining on the clock. The Broncos had the ball.
What happened next was embarrassing for the Cardinals.
Western Michigan set up its inbounds play from the far baseline and needed to go the full length of the court. Four of their players gathered just beyond the midcourt line. One hid under the hoop.
It was the latter who became the hero.
A full-court Hail Mary pass went flying over the heads of everybody and bounced once at the free-throw line right into the hands of Anthony Crump. Crump laid in the easy two for the win.
Ball State had a defender directly next to where the pass took its lone bounce. He failed to get a finger on the ball, which caused his team to lose. Literally any semblance of a touch would have disrupted the play and sent the game to double overtime. That did not happen.
The pass bounced perfectly and the Cardinals dropped to below .500 on their home floor in gut-wrenching fashion. Regardless of whether the Broncos drew the play up for Crump or not, he was in the perfect place at the perfect time.
Although the hilariously bad defensive effort was the primary catalyst for the buzzer-beater, Crump’s sure hands were crucial as well. He also could have missed the layup! He didn’t.
Crump won the college basketball game in epic fashion that epitomizes the greatness that is #MACtion. You never know what you’re going to get but it never lets you down!