Baylor Basketball: Team USA blows 26-point lead, falls to Brazil in championship game
Saturday marked the Gold Medal Game between Team USA vs. Brazil in the FISU World University Games. Both teams entered the contest undefeated. The US and Brazil went unbeaten in pool play before downing their respective opponents in the first two rounds of the bracket stage. Someone was going to take a loss on Saturday and fall short of the gold.
The first half was all USA. The first quarter was tight; Team USA went up 20-17, but it was the second quarter when the US imposed its will. Guard Obi Agbim led the charge, scoring 19 points in the first half, knocking down three 3s. Team USA outscored Brazil, 26-9, in the second. The US crashed the boards, grabbing 30 rebounds in total, and Dan Skillings had eight rebounds himself.
FOUR POINT PLAY#SicEm | #CultureofJOY pic.twitter.com/AqUwDPUfkX
— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) July 26, 2025
The USA quickly got the third quarter started like it left off in the second. While Brazil scored 16 points in the third, the US scored 24 and Cameron Carr was his explosive self. Agbim was the story in the first half, but it was Carr who got up to 23 points by the end of the third. Between crashing the boards and getting his shot -- Brazil couldn't stop him. After three quarters, the US found itself up 67-45 entering the final 10 minutes.
After taking a 26-point lead, the USA started to get a little complacent, and Brazil established its full-court press. Brazil would go on a 22-9 run to cut the lead to nine points with under three minutes remaining. The USA would turn it over a couple of times, and Brazil hit back-to-back 3s to get the game within three points with less than a minute. With less than 10 seconds left, Agbim drove to the rim and hit a contested layup to put USA up three with nine seconds on the clock.
Brazil's 3-point shot would fall with six seconds left on the clock to tie the game at 80-all. Team USA would have one more try to win the game. Agbim's shot wouldn't fall and Team USA had a horrific fourth quarter -- outscored 35-13 -- to head to overtime.
As the fourth quarter went, it was the same result for Team USA in overtime. Turnovers and missed shots haunted the US and Brazil came out on top, 94-88. USA heads home with a silver medal.
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Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.