Former Wayland hoops stand
out Presley Hudson will play in the Women’s National Invitational basketball tournament, with the opening round against Indiana-Purdue University at 7 p.m. Thursday at CMU.
Hudson, daughter of Wayland High School varsity boys’ basketball coach Mike Hudson, and the Central Michigan University squad was notified officially Monday night they have received an invitation. There has been speculation that CMU (22-10) may play the University of Michigan (17-13) in the first round, but the opponent will be IUPU (20-10).
A win over the Jaguars Thursday would give CMU its first postseason tournament victory in program history.
The Chippewas, who won their division in the Mid-American Conference with a 14-4 record, lost 73-71 in overtime Saturday afternoon to Buffalo in the MAC tournament finals. Hudson made a pair of free throws with less than 30 seconds left in the extra session to tie the score at 71-all, but Buffalo scored the game-winner just before the final buzzer.
Had CMU been able to pull out that tournament finale, it would have received an automatic bid to the Women’s NCAA tourney.
Hudson finished the season by leading the Chippewas in scoring at 14 points per game, making the all-MAC second team and being named freshman of the year in the conference. She also was sixth in the nation in free throw percentage with about 89%.
She was a Class B all-state performer at Wayland a year ago and runner-up in the state-wide Miss Basketball balloting.
