Charisma Osborne Returns From Ankle Injury, Back in UCLA Women's Basketball Starting Lineup

The Bruins' top-scoring guard got hurt during UCLA's Nov. 18 win over CSUN at Pauley Pavilion.

Of all the injuries the Bruins have suffered through the first few weeks of the season, Charisma Osborne's looked like it could be the most devastating.

The guard has made a quick recovery, however, and is back on the court.

No. 19 UCLA women's basketball (3-0) will have Osborne featured in its starting lineup against Kent State (3-0) in the opening game of the Gulf Shore Showcase on Friday. Osborne suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the Bruins' win over CSUN on Nov. 18, an injury that brought Pauley Pavilion to a dead silence and required extensive medical attention behind the bench long after the final buzzer sounded.

Coach Cori Close did not have any updates on Osborne's status postgame that night, but Osborne said she couldn't feel her ankle when she was getting assisted on the court and was eventually carried off.

Close said Sunday that Osborne's injury didn't turn out to be too serious after further evaluation, and that she was hoping to get her top guard back on the court later in the week.

Osborne has played all but two minutes through nearly two full games before going down with the injury. Even after missing the last few minutes against the Matadors, Osborne was averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game through two contests.

Wake Forest transfer Gina Conti was supposed to be UCLA's starting point guard this season, but she suffered a foot injury in practice in late October and underwent surgery. Once Conti was ruled out for several weeks, Osborne was named starting point guard.

Without Osborne against Virginia on Sunday, Close had Jaelynn Penn and Dominique Onu as her starting guards. Onu was making her first career start and Penn was playing point guard for the first time in her collegiate career, which started back at Indiana before she transferred to Westwood in the offseason.

Even with the lack of experience at the starting guard positions, and no ball-handlers to come off the bench, the Bruins ran away late to beat the Cavaliers and weather Osborne's ultimately brief absence.

Osborne hinted towards her possible return Friday morning on Twitter. An hour later, UCLA Athletics confirmed to All Bruins in a statement that she would be rejoining the starting lineup against Kent State.

heard you missed me 😏 #GameDay pic.twitter.com/XOTDwRbqqL

— Charisma 🦋 (@CharismaOsborne) November 26, 2021

Onu has moved back to a bench role with Osborne returning.

UCLA and Kent State will tip off at 10:30 in Estero, Florida.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA women's basketball stories: UCLA Women's Basketball on Sports Illustrated