Bovine Blog: Great Osobor Showing Maturity During 15-Game Winning Streak
Jan 13, 2024, 4:46 PM | Updated: Jan 22, 2024, 2:21 pm
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Few things in life are truly unexplainable. Stonehenge, the Bermuda Triangle, and D.B. Cooper come close, but science and time have a way of solving most mysteries.
You can add Utah State’s come-from-behind 87-86 win over UNLV to the list of strange-but-true occurrences that are almost too good to believe.
“What an unbelievable college basketball game,” Danny Sprinkle said after the final horn. “That was a grit win. A culture win, a program win, you name it.”
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Aggies get a 5 point play to end the game and win 87-86. Crazy, crazy game. Postgame begins now on 1280 and online at @kslsports.com pic.twitter.com/bgK1KatpxG
— Scott Garrard (@ScottyGZone) January 13, 2024
Utah State hadn’t led all afternoon, falling behind by as many as 13. UNLV held a four-point lead, usually considered a two-possession game, with 14 seconds on the clock when the Aggies went on offense for the final time.
The always-steady Darius Brown II hit a contested three while Osobor drew a loose-ball foul going for the rebound.
DOWNTOWN DARIUS BROWN!
⚡️ @dariusbrownii pic.twitter.com/YrqssmxJEs
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) January 13, 2024
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“You’re built for this,” USU wing Great Osobor said his head coach told him in the huddle. “Yes, I am,” the reigning Mountain West Player of the week responded before hitting two of the biggest free throws in his career.
After a frantic UNLV final shot caromed off the back-iron, USU had won its 15th-straight game, this one in thrilling fashion.
“When you have a team that is connected, stays together, and believes in one another. We just wait and fight for your brothers. I feel like we have a good chance in all our games,” Osobor said.
🏀 Highlights from @USUBasketball 87-86 Win over UNLV 🔵⚪️#AtThePeak | #MWMBB | #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/SdaD6yukb5
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) January 13, 2024
Osobor finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds, making 12-of-13 free throws as USU shot 23-of-25 from the charity stripe. After contributing just four points and three boards at the half, the England native showed a renewed energy in the second half.
“I made it a point to forget about the score, forget about everything else. Just go out and have fun playing with energy… I had fun that second half.”
Sprinkle had nothing but praise for Osobor’s growth over the years as the pair spent two years together at Montana State before heading to Logan.
“A year ago, two years ago, I don’t know if would have done that,” Sprinkle commented. “He’s really grown physically, spiritually, and mentally.”
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Utah State travels to the Land of Enchantment for a matchup with the New Mexico Lobos (13-3, 1-2) at The Pit on Tuesday, January 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. (MT). USU is 27-9 all-time against the Lobos, including a 10-6 record in The Pit. The Aggies have won the past six games in the series.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s coverage of the Bees, Big League Utah, and Aggie athletics here.
