Oklahoma Panhandle State University men's basketball team had an exhilarating start to their season, clinching a thrilling victory over Huston Tillotson University (HTU) in Austin, Texas.
In a nail-biting contest, the OPSU Aggies outlasted the Rams with a final score of 65-62. The game was tightly contested from tip-off until the closing seconds.
The Aggies set the tone early, dominating the first half with a score of 23-19. Their exceptional defense held HTU to a mere 16% shooting from the field, while they controlled the boards with a 26-21 rebounding advantage.
The second half saw OPSU facing a deficit that stretched to seven points at the 11-minute mark, but the Aggies displayed resilience, making crucial stops and executing plays on the challenging court. Fred Robinson sealed the victory with two clutch free throws in the final 10 seconds, giving OPSU a three-point lead.
Sophomore Abduhl Diaby was the standout performer of the game, leading the Aggies with an impressive double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman Amaree Brown made an immediate impact, contributing 10 points, 7 rebounds, and shooting 2-3 from beyond the arc, in addition to dishing out 3 assists. Joe Greaves, a returning player, chipped in with 10 points and 8 rebounds, while Fred Robinson added 9 points and 6 rebounds to the team's effort.
OPSU Head Coach Charles Belt, who was unable to be on the sidelines for the game, expressed his pride and gratitude for his team's performance, acknowledging the significant contribution of his assistant coaches, Coach Makenzie Fessler and Coach Lemone "LJ." Coach Belt commended his team's dedication to their style of play, which emphasizes controlling the tempo, strong defense, and teamwork.
Coach Belt said, "PROUD! Very Proud! My heart is full tonight for many reasons! First off my assistants Coach Makenzie Fessler & Coach Lemone "LJ" did a great job! Winning is hard, winning on the road is harder, winning on the road in tough conditions without your head coach is the HARDEST! They did just that. In their coaching debut! Our guys played 'Coach Belt Basketball'… Tremendous buy-in to control tempo, DEFEND, and play together! I'm so proud of them! We have A LOT to clean up & A LOT of work to still do. Thank you to everyone who watched and attended the game! Quick turn around! Excited to be on the sidelines with my guys tomorrow in San Antonio! Change is here!"
The Aggies have little time to rest as they are set to face Our Lady of the Lake in San Antonio, Texas, tomorrow afternoon, October 28th, at 4 PM.
