Hurricane steps into C-USA play

BY ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
1/05/11 at 5:24 AM

Tulsa's calendar hasn't only flipped to 2011; it also has changed to the Conference USA basketball schedule.

All 16 league games are crucial for the Hurricane, starting with Wednesday's 8:05 p.m. game at UTEP.

"Conference play is very important," sophomore guard Scottie Haralson said. "It's a whole new season, and we have to have a different mentality. It starts with our pride. We have to have pride to win every conference game we play."

TU (7-6) battled injuries, inexperience and a tough nonconference schedule to reach this point.

"I've said for a few weeks that the one thing that is lost is being an at-large team (for the NCAA Tournament)," Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik said. "We scheduled to be an at-large team, and we've lost that to some degree. But everything else is intact."

"Everything else" is chasing the NCAA Tournament bid reserved for league tournament champions.

All 12 schools entering C-USA action have that same dream.

C-USA opener

At UTEP

8:05 p.m. Wednesday

Radio: KRMG am740, fm102.3
Original Print Headline: Hurricane steps into C-USA play

Eric Bailey 581-8391
eric.bailey@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Steven Idlet and the Golden Hurricane open conference play Wednesday at UTEP. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World