COLUMBUS, Ohio — Presley Hudson scored 28 points and No. 11 seed Central Michigan stunned No. 3 Ohio State 95-78 on Monday night to earn the school’s first ever trip to the Sweet 16.
Cassie Breen threw the ball high in the air as the clock wound down and the joyous Central Michigan players jumped, screamed and hugged as they celebrated the biggest win in school history.
The Chippewas had won their first tournament game ever in Saturday’s first-round upset of No. 6 Louisiana State. With the upset of Ohio State, they advance to face No. 2 Oregon in Spokane, Washington, on Saturday.
Central Michigan (30-4) out-rebounded and out-hustled Ohio State, played taut defense, hit a season-high 14 3-pointers and kept the Buckeyes at bay late in the game.
The Chippewas got plenty of help in the upset from the unusually error-prone Buckeyes, who got behind in the first half and then were run over by momentum and couldn’t climb back in. Central Michigan led by as much as 23 points in the second half as Ohio State struggled to put together a run that would shift the tide.
All-American guard Kelsey Mitchell led Ohio State (28-7) with 28 points but hit just 11 of her 29 shots from the floor. Mitchell ended her storied career as the second-leading scorer in NCAA history, but it was wasted as the Buckeyes were denied their third straight trip to the Sweet 16. Mitchell passed Jackie Stiles and finished with 3,402 points.
Breen had 22 points, and Tinara Moore added 20 points and 10 rebounds in Central Michigan’s balanced attack.
Ohio State seniors Mitchell, Stephanie Mavunga, Linnae Harper and Asia Doss will move on, leaving coach Kevin McGuff with a rebuilding job. The players talked about making the most of their last NCAA run together, but they were run over by the Mid-American Conference champions on Monday.
Mavunga had 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Harper added 14 points.
Mitchell finished her career with a 3-pointer in an NCAA record 92 straight games.
BIG PICTURE
Central Michigan: The aggressive and balanced MAC team blows by the Buckeyes and then keeps up the pressure in the second half to extend their best ever tournament run. The Chippewas were joined in the Sweet 16 by fellow MAC school Buffalo, which knocked off No. 3 seed Florida State.
Ohio State: Mitchell gets her game going a little too late and her teammates look discombobulated for much of the evening. The Buckeyes hurt themselves as much as Central Michigan dominated them.
UP NEXT
Central Michigan moves on to play Oregon next Saturday in Spokane, Washington.
