How CMU men's basketball snapped the streak
Chippewas pulled miraculous finish to defeat MAC leader Toledo, snapped eight-game losing streak
Junior guard Matt Beachler was given an opportunity every basketball fan dreams of in their driveway.
The Lowell native took a 3-point shot to not only cap-off a 16-point comeback, to snap CMU’s eight-game losing streak, but also knock off Toledo, the Mid-American Conference regular-season champion.
However, the shot missed but found the hands of junior forward Meikkel Murray, who converted the game-winner.
While the opportunity for Beachler and Murray was magical enough, the journey to this moment itself was fascinating itself.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Tuesday, Feb. 23
Fresh-off a 17-day pause to due COVID-19 guidelines, the Chippewas hosted Miami (Ohio) with nine players available. After leading 58-18 at the half, the RedHawks cruised to a 96-54 victory handing CMU their worst MAC defeat since 2004.
Wednesday. Feb. 24
CMU held a 20-minute practice which featured its first 5-on-5 practice in nearly a month before making the 489-mile quest to play Buffalo.
Thursday, Feb. 25
The Chippewas, once again with only nine players available, lost 85-73. CMU immediately loaded the bus for a 474-mile adventure to Muncie, Indiana for a game with Ball State.
Friday, Feb. 26
When the team went through their required COVID testing at the team hotel on Friday the Chippewas faced a nightmare scenario, a positive test. The team and coaching staff sat quarantined in their hotel feeling their season was over with three games remaining. However, the test was a false positive — the season was back on.
Saturday, Feb. 27
The Chippewas entered their clash with the Cardinals with an all-time record of 7-41 in Muncie, Indiana. CMU, still with only nine players available, fell 97-91. According to coach Keno Davis, a player rushed home for a death in their family following Saturday's game.
Tuesday, March 2
Fortunately for CMU, the player made it back in time to test negative and allow CMU to dress eight players -- the MAC minimum to play -- to clash with MAC-leading Toledo.
CMU trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half, but gashed its deficit to eight points with 8:38 to go. The Rockets responded with a 6-0 run to open their lead to 14 with 6:56 left in the game with CMU starting center Malik Muhammad on the bench with five fouls.
The Chippewas have found themselves within striking distance multiple times this season, but have let opponents take control of games almost every time.
“When things are going really well for us we’re talking and were communicating and when things go bad we kind of put our heads down and (act) like the game is over already,” said senior guard Devontae Lane following a 95-63 loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 9. “If (our opponent) goes on a six, seven-point run, we put our heads down and start doing stuff we don’t normally do as a team.”
Down to seven players against a team they lost to by 17 on Jan. 19, the ending to CMU’s clash with the Rockets was different than any other game this season. The Chippewas stormed back with authority with a 22-8 run to tie the game with 1:02 remaining sealed with an arena-shaking 3-pointer by junior guard Caleb Huffman.
THE MOMENT
Both teams would trade baskets to tie the game at 79-79, but CMU had possession with 25 seconds remaining and down to six players after Huffman fouled out. After nearly turning the ball over at half court, Beachler recovered the ball and heaved a potential game-winning 3-point shot.
His shot sailed short of the net, but much like a quarterback to a wide receiver, the ball landed perfectly in Murray’s hands under the basket.
The reigning Kansas Junior Community College Conference Player of the Year used his signature reverse right-hand layup to give CMU an 81-79 lead with three seconds left that would ultimately seal the Chippewas' first win since a Jan. 16 victory over Eastern Michigan.
“I’m not gonna lie, I knew (Beachler) was gonna shoot it, that’s why I went (under the hoop)” Murray said. “Luckily the ball fell right in my hands and I went right back up with (the ball).”
“I had a play that we were ready for, and if we didn’t get it setup I was going to use a timeout,” Davis said. “We almost turned the ball over and my quick reaction was ‘now that we got them back in a defensive stance that I didn’t want to give them another opportunity to press us and deny us an entry pass.’"
“I was confident that (Beachler) would be able to get a shot off in that situation. Even though we missed the shot we did accomplish (in getting) Toledo really extended and gave a one-on-one opportunity for Murray to come up with a big play.”
