What a difference a half makes. WMU battled back from a 17-point halftime deficit to win 64-60 in OT Friday night in the semifinals and advances to the MAC Championship game for the first time since 2004.
After trailing by 17 at halftime the WMU Broncos came out renewed in the second half, exploding offensively and catching Akron resting on its morals. The Broncos outscored WMU 35-18 in the second half.
Led by Shayne Whittington and Connar Tava the Broncos went on a 16-0 run starting at the 10:17 mark. Meanwhile the Zips were caught in a trap, unable to move the ball and coughing the rock up nine times in the first 17 minutes of the half, and going 8:18 in between points.
After Tucker Haymond nailed a 3 to put WMU up 48-47, Akron awoke. Demetrius Treadwell and Quincy Diggs slashed through the paint, drawing contact and each going to the line once, with Diggs going 2-for-2 and Tree going 1-for-2. A Tree jumper tied the game at 52-52 with 39 seconds left.
A Quincy Diggs mid-court shot at the buzzer went off the mark to send the game to OT. WMU controlled the extra stanza, thanks to David Brown's emergence from his slumber. The WMU guard scored nine of his 16 points in OT lifting WMU to the win.