Osobor-Led Huskies Stop Santa Clara, Win Palm Springs Event

The UW power forward was named most valuable player of the Acrisure Invitational.

Great Osobor earned MVP honors in leading the Huskies to an Acrisure Invitational championship in Palm Springs, California. / UW Athletics

PALM SPRINGS, California -- As with most people who visit these confines, a few days in the desert did wonders for the University of Washington basketball team, which picked up a pair of victories against tougher competition, including a 76-69 decision over Santa Clara on Friday afternoon to win the Acrisure Invitational.

Senior 6-foot-8 power forward Great Osobor, after deferring top scoring honors to fellow forward Tyler Harris in two previous outings, led the Huskies (6-1) once again with 19 points and, in his usual well-rounded showing, he also grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 5 assists and stole the ball twice. Osobor was named tourney MVP.

UW freshman guard Zoom Diallo, starting for the third consecutive game, backed his big man with 15 points, matching his career best, while downing 5 of 9 shots, and grabbed 5 rebounds.

The Huskies came out of this holiday trip, which included an opening-night 73-67 win over Colorado State on Thanksgiving, looking much more like a cohesive unit while winning their fifth consecutive game.

"We got a lot better," coach Danny Sprinkle said in a truTV interview.

Sprinkle's players now move to even tougher competition when they open Big Ten play against UCLA (6-1) on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

With a new coaching staff and a roster full of newcomers, the Huskies struggled early on against a string of overmatched opponents such as U Mass Lowell, Alcorn State and Seattle Pacific, by shooting poorly and failing to find an early identity.

Against Santa Clara, they appeared much more comfortable together by shooting 43.5 percent from the field, handing out a dozen assists and forcing 14 turnovers.

"If we keep getting better little by little, good things will happen," Osobor said.

Against Santa Clara (3-5), the Huskies never trailed once DJ Davis canned a 3-pointer to give his team the lead at 15-13 with 11:48 remaining in the opening half.

Davis, a Butler transfer who grew up 45 miles away in Moreno, California, came off the bench and had one of his better offensive outings for the UW, by hitting 5 of 11 shots, including 3 of 8 from 3-point range, for 13 points.

These guys needed all of those points because Harris, who was coming off 27- and 24-point outings, scored just 5 points against the Broncos on 1-of-7 shooting.

The UW gradually built a 13-point lead when Osobor got inside for a bucket to put his team ahead 63-50 with 9:16 remaining in the game.

The WCC team, however, had a couple of runs left in it. The Broncos scored eight unanswered points to climb within 63-58, before Davis dropped in a 3-pointer to momentarily quell their momentum.

Santa Clara, which was led by Carlos Stewart Jr.'s 20 points, cut the UW lead to 72-69 with 11 seconds left to play, but could get no closer. Harris sank a pair of free throws and Osobor dunked at the buzzer and it was over.

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