Odunsi's return home sparks HBU basketball's turnaround

When Anthony Odunsi called Ron Cottrell in 2014, it was not the first time he talked to the Houston Baptist basketball coach.

Having known Odunsi since he was a high school freshman because his two daughters attended the same school, Cottrell recruited Odunsi throughout his career at Fort Bend Travis. But hoping for bigger things, Odunsi signed with Utah.

Little did he know, his college basketball travels were just beginning.

When Utah did not work out, Odunsi transferred to Tyler Junior College and played well. The next season, Odunsi made it into five games for Albany. It was not until the end of that season that Odunsi realized it was time to come home.

So a mature Odunsi called Cottrell and asked for a second chance.

"After all the stuff I went through, it wasn't really much of a decision," said Odunsi, who is working on a master's degree. "I've known coach since I was in ninth grade. I know he's a good Christian man. This time it was about who I was going to be playing for, not what conference the school was in. It's not the way you start. It's the way you finish. I'm happy to be back home."

Odunsi's tale appears headed for a happy ending. If the senior and the Huskies are fortunate, it might have a successful ending on the court, too.

HBU is off to its best start since ascending back to Division I in 2007. Before Tuesday's loss at Abilene Christian, the Huskies (14-8, 8-1 Southland Conference) had won 10 in a row. That included each of their first eight Southland games.

Now they are one game behind two-time reigning conference champion Stephen F. Austin, which they face at home at 7 p.m. Saturday. The game, which is sold out, will be pivotal for conference tournament seedings.

Also Saturday, two-time reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Texas Southern puts its undefeated conference record on the line at Prairie View A&M. Not long ago at least one bracketology prediction had TSU (10-11, 9-0 SWAC) meeting HBU in a play-in game for the NCAA Tournament.

The Huskies would have to win the Southland Tournament to get that far. They have not even played in it during their first two seasons in the conference. That will change this year, with a double bye to the semifinals as the No. 1 or No. 2 seed a possibility.

The improvement, Cottrell said, is due in large part to the leadership of the upperclassmen, including Odunsi, Jourdan Stickler, Caleb Crayton, Colter Lasher and Reveal Chukwujeku.

Odunsi is fourth in the conference with 17 points per game. He ranks sixth in the NCAA with 149 made free throws. He scored a career-high 28 points in a Jan. 16 win over New Orleans and made the winning free throw in the final seconds last weekend to defeat Sam Houston State - last year's Southland tournament runner-up.

Cottrell praised Odunsi's maturity and said he grew between the time he was a high school senior and when he called Cottrell to request a second chance. It's a big reason Odunsi has the respect of his teammates and is leading the best season HBU has had in a long time.

"He came here in a much better place," Cottrell said. "We recruited him out of high school, but he just wasn't ready to come here. He had other aspirations. It took him a little while to realize this probably was the right place for him all along."

Corey Roepken is a freelance writer.