Brandon Garrison Shines in Oklahoma State's Big 12 Opener
An Oklahoma State freshman had a breakout performance on Saturday.
Entering conference play, the Cowboys were surrounded with uncertainty about how their inexperienced players would fair in meaningful action. It took one game for Brandon Garrison to quiet those concerns.
In OSU’s conference opener against No. 18 Baylor, Garrison dominated. While he had a game-changing defensive performance, his scoring gave OSU a significant boost.
The freshman led the game in scoring with 20 points and did not miss a shot. Finishing dunks and layups got him to 7-of-7 from the floor, while he finished 6-of-6 at the free throw line.
“Once I made my first bucket, the game just came to me, and all the jitters and stuff came out, and it was just flowing,” Garrison said after the game.
After scoring just two points and adding one block in the first half, Garrison wasted no time making an impact in the second half. He had an offensive rebound and putback on the first possession out of halftime and followed that a few plays later with a forceful block, leading to his first trip to the foul line in transition.
Garrison finished the game with his career-high in scoring while adding eight rebounds and four blocks. The big man appears to be hitting his stride as a shot-blocker, with Saturday marking his third straight game with three or more blocks.
In the final minutes of regulation, Garrison drew a flagrant foul in a tie game before going to the line and knocking down two free throws. With OSU keeping possession, he scored again to get the lead up to four.
While the Cowboys could not hold on to the lead, Garrison’s play in big moments on Saturday is an encouraging sign. It’s also something coach Mike Boynton raved about after the game.
“I’m just proud of him because we needed this from him today,” Boynton said. “And to see him give us a chance, makes two free throws after getting drug to the floor, nobody on the line.”
After beginning his college career with one point, zero rebounds and zero blocks in a loss to Abilene Christian, Garrison has become one of OSU’s most reliable players.
He’s special, and he’s gonna get better, he’s gotten better,” Boynton said.
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