USF freshman guard CJ Brown was here, there and everywhere in comeback win over Tulsa

Next game: USF (10-8, 3-2) at Charlotte (7-12, 0-6)

When: January 22, 7 p.m.

Media: ESPN+ and Bulls Unlimited

USF basketball believed it had something special when CJ Brown signed last spring out of Kell High School in Marietta, Georgia. As this Bulls season has wound on, Brown’s play continues to prove the Bulls were correct.

The American Athletic Conference has certainly noticed. It named Brown the league’s Freshman of the Week after he put on a show in the Bulls’ comeback 63-56 win last Saturday over Tulsa.

He became the first USF player since B.B. Waldon in 1999 to score 15 or more points, four or more steals, while committing zero turnovers in a single game.

That’s impressive, but what he in final five minutes against Tulsa was phenomenal.

With the Bulls trailing by eight points, he stole the ball from Tulsa’s Dwon Odom, leading to a layup by Jaden Reid that pulled USF within six.

With the Bulls down by four, Brown got another steal and converted a free throw. With USF trailing by one point, he got a defensive rebound that led to the go-ahead basket with 1:26 to play.

He wasn’t done. Brown got another steal with 1:02 to play and turned it into a layup and a converted free throw that put the Bulls ahead by four.

But the show wasn’t over yet, folks.

He put the exclamation point on his afternoon after taking a pass after Brandon Stroud got yet another USF steal. Stroud passed to Brown, who threw down thunderous dunk that sealed the Bulls American Athletic Conference win.

Total it up.

That was three steals and eight points in the final 5:11 of a game USF desperately needed to win.

If the last five minutes of the Tulsa game is any gauge, Brown should keep getting better and better, especially on the defensive end. He already has 23 steals and 12 blocked shots to go with 34 assists.

He also has an upperclassman-like court instinct. Just ask interim USF coach Ben Fletcher.

“CJ Brown was just phenomenal on the floor. He just flew around,” he said. “The play of the game guys, I'm telling you, was the we didn't get back (on defense) and we thought we got fouled on the layup, and (Tulsa) throws a heave and CJ Brown comes out of nowhere.

“I hope Coach Golesh didn't see it, because, man, he’d be playing safety or receiver or something. But, man, he made a heck of a play, not only to stop  a basket by them, but to get the steal and we had a chance to come back down and score.”

That’s how you get to be the AAC Freshman of the Week. It won’t be the last time Brown wins a conference honor.