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TU’s win at UTEP comparable to OSU’s win at Kansas
Published: 2/11/2013 5:57 PM
Last Modified: 2/11/2013 5:57 PM

Because the Golden Hurricane roster has been cut to pieces by injuries, the University of Tulsa basketball team’s road win at UTEP might have been as impressive as Oklahoma State’s Feb. 2 victory at Kansas.

TU took to El Paso a three-game losing streak. UTEP entered with a 6-2 Conference USA record, an 11-1 home record and the motivation of getting revenge against a Hurricane team that beat the Miners on Jan. 16 in Tulsa.

Only three days after losing at home to a UAB squad that was 1-6 in Conference USA, the Golden Hurricane won 74-70 at UTEP on Saturday night. For the moment, the UTEP conquest qualifies as the signature victory of Danny Manning’s first season as the Tulsa coach.

In a 40-minute contest witnessed by a Don Haskins Center crowd of 9,811, TU trailed for only three minutes and four seconds.

Hurricane freshman guard James Woodard did not play because of stiffness in his back. Injured forwards Rashad Smith and Zeldric King remain sidelined. Pat Swilling Jr., usually a double-figure scorer, had only one point at UTEP.

TU was 2-8 in its previous 10 games at El Paso, so how was the Hurricane able to stun the Miners on Saturday? Four players were exceptional:

* In his first significant playing time since sustaining a mid-December leg injury, freshman forward D’Andre Wright scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and a 7-of-10 performance on free throws. He also totaled eight rebounds. On Monday, he was voted the Conference USA freshman of the week.

* Senior forward Kauri Black has played well for a month, and he played really well at UTEP. Before fouling out for the eighth time this season, he scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. In league play, Black has Conference USA’s best field goal percentage at .647.

* Rashad Ray seems to have graduated from a freshman role player to a viable point guard who makes winning plays. Woodard’s back issue has resulted in more floor time for Ray, who responded with 17 points against UAB and 12 at UTEP. In 29 minutes at El Paso, he did not commit a turnover. In conference games, Ray is 20-of-20 on free throws.

* In 37 minutes, Tulsa’s Scottie Haralson collected seven rebounds and connected on three clutch 3-pointers. With 3:47 left to play and the score tied, Haralson converted on a 3-pointer, giving TU a 61-58 lead.

Tulsa shot 45 percent from the field and 18-of-23 on free throws. UTEP shot 37 percent from the field.

Manning on Wright’s continued recovery from a left-leg injury: “I would think he would be feeling pretty good now. When you play like he did, it puts air in your sail. The pain you have doesn’t sting as much.”

Manning on Ray: “He has become a different guy. I would agree with that. He has taken advantage of an opportunity. He was going to play, anyway, but his minutes were extended with James not playing.”

Manning on Black, who has become a consistent source of offense: “Because of his experience, we always thought he would be important. We hoped he could be a guy who could score in double digits, and now he has figured it out. The biggest thing for him is that he brings a vocal presence to us on the defensive end.”

Now 13-11 overall and 5-5 in Conference USA, the Hurricane doesn’t play again until Saturday, when Houston visits the Reynolds Center for a 3:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net-televised league game. TU’s players were given a day off on Sunday, practiced at 6 a.m. Monday and get another free day on Tuesday. Woodard practiced on Monday and is expected to play against Houston.

Following the Monday practice, Manning traveled to Lawrence to watch the Kansas State-Kansas showdown. Manning is a former Jayhawk superstar and assistant coach, and his son Evan now is a KU freshman guard.

Four of Tulsa’s final six regular-season games are played at home, and none of the opponents currently has a league record of better than 4-5. The Hurricane has a chance to generate momentum in advance of the Conference USA Tournament, set for March 13-16 at the BOK Center.

-- Bill Haisten



Reader Comments 1 Total
TCH51 (4 days ago)
Way to go team. I was disheartened after the UAB debacle, but my spirts have risen again. Beat Houston!
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TU Sports

Tulsa World Sports Writer Bill Haisten was named the 2010 Oklahoma Sportswriter of the Year. He is the World's only staff member to have covered OU, OSU, TU and ORU sports on a beat basis. He was on the OSU beat from 2004-2012. A Texas native, he has covered two Super Bowls and two national championship football games for the World.

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