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Worst. First. Half. Ever.
Then an eighteen zero run
Holy crap that happened
That wasn't a well-played basketball game, but it sure as hell was dramatic. USF was down 53-36 with just over 13 minutes to play in the game... and then went on an 18-0 run to make it 54-53. There were steals! There were stops!! There was Anthony Collins making 4 straight free throws after getting fouled and then kicked while laying on the ground by Anali Okojoli. And then more steals, more runouts, and more awesome.
And then Corey Allen hits a 10 foot fadeaway in the dying seconds to pull out an amazing win.
How nuts was this game? Here's some of my completely schizophrenic Twitter feed from the last two hours:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Make that 30-22 Mason at the under 4. GMU guards look like All-Americans against shell defense.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408396643197669376">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>USF couldn’t possibly play worse right now and down by 12. The effort is atrocious</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408397377754525696">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Jesus, Bulls. The team logo should be a roll of stamps.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408397723499372544">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Bulls are done! Flat no sense of urgency.</p>— Anddrikk Frazier (@Anddrikk) <a href="https://twitter.com/Anddrikk/statuses/408405311112757248">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Bulls getting a break here. Foul on Collins, T on Okoloji for kicking him while he’s down. Literally. 53-41 Bulls should shoot 4 here.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408410161158451201">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sexy lob from AC to Javonte on a post clear out cuts it to 53-47.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408411092063240192">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>VIC RUDD AND ONE!! That’s a charge last year, but now it’s 53-49 Mason with a FT to come after the under 8 timeout.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408411552778158081">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Think we’re going to the Kate Scale for all Vic Rudd dunks and AC lobs this year. The lob was an Upton, the Vic And 1 was a Beckinsale.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408411738548088832">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>18-0. Steal by Allen becomes a layup. Bulls lead 54-53. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408412688226582528">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>No matter the result, USF still has problems. Can’t defend the perimeter, can’t make 3’s. But at least they’re fighting. 60-57 under 4 TO.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408414975820963840">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Well that was some Ole defense by Mason on the switch. Nice recognition by <a href="https://twitter.com/Corey_Allen4">@Corey_Allen4</a>. Bulls lead 64-61 51.8 to play.</p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408417033097732096">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>COREY ALLEN JR WITH THE RUNNER FOR THE WIN!! BULLS WIN 68-66!! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23USF&src=hash">#USF</a></p>— Collin Sherwin (@USFCollin) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin/statuses/408418837034319872">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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And I apologize for none of it. USF looked like they left their legs and heart in Tampa, and somehow turned it around that dramatically. This team certainly needs work, and they're going to need to get better because this isn't going to be good enough to win in the AAC, but at least they showed some passion in pulling out a win. If there is such a thing as momentum in sports, ride it into Alabama on Saturday please.
UPDATE: Some quotes from Stan Heath via @D1scourse after the game:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin">@USFCollin</a> Heath: "I think the run started a little bit before that [tech]. We were starting to play a lot better. ...</p>— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) <a href="https://twitter.com/D1scourse/statuses/408430161705840640">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin">@USFCollin</a> "I was kind of searching for a lineup that could work and I was kind of going in and out with guys. I thought that lineup ...</p>— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) <a href="https://twitter.com/D1scourse/statuses/408430261991661568">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin">@USFCollin</a> "once I put it out there, that group that finished got a little bit of a run & the technical play made it bigger than what it was</p>— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) <a href="https://twitter.com/D1scourse/statuses/408430421157089280">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/USFCollin">@USFCollin</a> Yeah, that was a classic example of the final two minutes salvaging the rest of a game. The tech also helped w/that.</p>— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) <a href="https://twitter.com/D1scourse/statuses/408432674853105664">December 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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That lineup Heath was talking about was Anthony Collins, Allen, Javonte Hawkins, Vic Rudd, and Chris Perry. We'll see if we see more of that Saturday against 'Bama.