Going into this game, a story line I sought to keep an eye on was the "revenge" story line behind EMU's starting point guard Austin Harper. My senior year at WMU we recruited and signed Austin to play for the Broncos. But after I graduated he only lasted one season before transferring, and I've only heard rumors as to the circumstances. But regardless, the first time playing your old team, matching up against several other guys you used to practice with, there are undoubtedly a whole slew of emotions that could come out of a game like this for everybody.

The game itself started pretty well for the Broncos. They utilized a very good inside-out game to create open looks from the perimeter. At times I felt it was like a game of "40 passes" when the WMU had the ball (for those not familiar, "40 passes" is a drill teams play in practice where the object is to complete 40 passes with your teammates without a deflection or turnover).

The star of the game was WMU junior forward Nate Hutchenson. The game turned into just the kind of game that suits his style of play where scoring opportunities arise quickly all over the place. Hutchenson exploded for 15 points in the first half taking open shots wherever they became available. There were several instances where PG Mike Douglas would push the ball in transition to find Hutchenson sprinting up the sideline, get him the ball and flash to the hole for a layup. Nate played like HE had earned the nickname "Charlie Hustle!", the exclamation point being earned by the beautiful charge he took in the second half.

But WMU's leads in the game were never safe. Despite the volume passing game, the Broncos had trouble securing the ball. The apparent butter fingers led to a total of 20 turnovers in the in the game for WMU. And coming down the stretch, they never had a lead more than five points at any given time. Flash forward to 59 seconds to go in the game, after a made three-pointer by EMU's J.R. Sims, we have ourselves a tie ball game!

WMU came down the court and tried to get the ball in the paint to back-up center Shayne Wittington (starting PF Flenard Whitfield had fouled out), but a deflection turned the ball into a hot-potato and the Broncos again turned it over. After a time out, a two man game between former Bronco Austin Harper and Antonio Green led to a made 3-pointer by Green with 4.8 seconds to go. After their final time out with the Broncos down three, Mike Douglas rushed the ball down the court and found Nate Hutchenson in the corner for one final buzzer beater attempt...

WHICH HE HIT!

Hutchenson drained the basket to tie the game at the buzzer to force the single most dramatic word in all of sports: overtime!

But alas, the problems with the Broncos' securing the ball, defending EMU's quickness and shoddy officiating continued to plague the game in the overtime period, and WMU came up short, 62-59. It is clear that EMU head coach Rob Murphy is looking to change the culture on EMU's team and to breathe new life into a program that's been lackluster for the better part of the past 15 years. But all is not lost for WMU; turnovers aside, the Broncos played their best game as a team as I have seen them play all season. They appear to be hitting their stride, playing with cohesion, moving the ball well and looking to score with confidence. Road games in mid-major conferences are always tougher to win than one would think, and hopefully this is only a minor setback for the Broncos in what is always a long winter in conference play.

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