By Ryan Nelson (@TheRyanNelson_)

Accomplished American author and literary titan Mark Twain once said, “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.”

The FIU and UTEP men’s and women’s basketball teams brought Twain’s words to fruition in consecutive bizarre finishes on Thursday night.

By sheer coincidence, or by the will of the basketball deities, both games ended in overtime buzzer beaters (men in 2OT, women in 3OT). To make the concurrence even more outlandish, both tilts finished in a score of 88-87.

UTEP Men Win in El Paso

In the final moments of the second overtime, UTEP’s Dominic Artis hit a three from deep to give the Miners the edge they needed to win.

Artis finished the contest with a double-double -- 18 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

FIU Women Win in Miami

It seemed as though the Panthers and Miners couldn’t buy separation. That is, until UTEP's Sparkle Taylor seemingly nailed the game winning jumper with 2.9 seconds left in the third overtime. Taylor picked up her fourth consecutive performance of 20 points or more.

Unbothered, FIU’s Kristian Hudson took the ensuing inbounds and threw up a prayer from just past half court -- and made it. Down went the miners, 88-87.