March just started, but Western Michigan is already embracing the month fully with one of the wildest buzzer beaters of the season.
The Broncos stunned Ball State 78-76 in overtime at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Indiana, thanks to a ridiculous final shot at the buzzer on Saturday afternoon. While it was technically a tip-in, Western Michigan’s Anthony Crump pulled off the wild late bucket to avoid a second overtime and lift Western Michigan to the two-point win.
With the score tied and just 1.6 seconds left on the clock in the extra period, Western Michigan’s Ja’Vaughn Hannah launched a deep overhand pass down the court from the opposite baseline. Remarkably, nobody from either team touched the ball. It bounced once near the opposite free throw line and then right into Crump’s hands at the rim. From there, he just had to make the easy layup — which sparked a wild celebration on the court.
Just watch:
Crump finished the day with 12 points off the bench, and he shot 6-of-7 from the field. Hannah led the Broncos with 17 points in the win, and Titus Wright finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Western Michigan now holds an 11-18 record, but sits in sixth in the MAC standings. The Broncos will host Bowling Green and Akron to close their season out this week.
Jalin Anderson led Ball State with 25 points and six assists, though he shot just 1-of-7 from the 3-point line. Basheer Jihad added 16 points and seven rebounds. Ball State dropped to 14-15 on the season, which has it in ninth in the MAC standings. The Cardinals will close their regular season against Kent State and Bowling Green this week.
Though everything had to go perfectly for Hannah and Crump on Saturday afternoon, they somehow got it done. March is already off to a great start.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
