Tulsa basketball on a March mission
BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Thursday, March 14, 2013
3/14/13 at 7:59 AM
Get complete coverage of the C-USA Tournament.
It happens every year - huge upsets and unexpected champions in conference tournaments.
Can it happen this week? As a No. 5 seed, can the University of Tulsa prevail in the Conference USA Tournament and secure the league's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament? It would be the Golden Hurricane's first NCAA berth since 2003.
"We know that we have an opportunity to lengthen our season," TU first-year coach Danny Manning said. "We're going to have to play with that sense of urgency from the tip."
In an 8:30 p.m. Thursday quarterfinal at the BOK Center, the Golden Hurricane is matched with fourth-seeded East Carolina. On Feb. 20, as TU was 6-of-19 on free throws, the Pirates prevailed 72-63 at the Reynolds Center.
Top-seeded Memphis is heavily favored to conquer the C-USA Tournament field. The Tigers are riding the momentum of a 16-0 run in regular-season league play. Southern Miss appears to be the Tigers' most legitimate challenger.
Manning's young Tulsa team, getting 54 percent of its scoring from freshmen, isn't getting much mention as being a genuine contender.
However, a Tulsa championship wouldn't even qualify as college basketball's biggest surprise of the week. In mid-December, the Liberty University team had a 1-10 record. On Sunday, the Liberty Flames defeated Charleston Southern to win the Big South Conference title. At 15-20, Liberty becomes only the second 20-loss team in NCAA Tournament history. Coppin State was the other, in 2008.
In 2005, in the championship game of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament, top-seeded Oral Roberts was matched seventh-seeded Oakland University. The Golden Eagles were 25-6. The Grizzlies were 11-18. In anticipation of ORU capturing its first NCAA Tournament berth in 21 years, the game attracted a capacity crowd of 6,000 to Union High School's Multipurpose Activity Center.
Final score: Oakland 61, ORU 60. With 1.3 seconds left, the Grizzlies converted on a 3-point shot from the left corner.
During the 2010 Conference USA Tournament at the BOK Center, seventh-seeded Houston savored a magic run to the title. The Cougars defeated top-seeded UTEP for the championship, prompting then-Houston coach Tom Penders to say, "Wow! These kids - what heart! Heart and execution."
Manning and the Hurricane hope for a "Wow!" experience of their own. If TU gets past Maurice Kemp-led East Carolina on Thursday, the likely Friday semifinal opponent would be Memphis.
TU opened the 2012-13 season with three victories. There hasn't been a three-game win streak since. To win the C-USA Tournament, the Hurricane must win three. If it doesn't, the season ends.
"We've looked at the bracket, but we're going to take it one game at a time," Hurricane junior guard Pat Swilling Jr. said. "If everybody brings what they can to the table, I think we have a chance to do anything.
"We'll all step up to the plate and play our best basketball. I'm pretty sure my teammates will bring it. I'm positive of it."
2013 Conference USA basketball championships
When: Wednesday-Saturday
Where: BOK Center, Tulsa Convention Center (women's early games)
Tickets: Prices range from $20 to $292. Go to tulsaworld.com/cusachampionships or call 918-894-4200.
Conference USA Tournament
Men's quarterfinal
Tulsa vs. East Carolina
East Carolina (18-11)
|
|
Ht. |
Pt. |
Reb. |
| F |
Kemp |
6-8 |
18.4 |
7.7 |
| F |
Sampson |
6-8 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
| F |
Armstrong |
6-8 |
9.2 |
4.8 |
| G |
Paul |
6-1 |
13.1 |
2.3 |
| G |
Campbell |
6-3 |
5.5 |
1.8 |
Tulsa (16-14)
|
|
Ht. |
Pt. |
Reb. |
| F |
Black |
6-8 |
7.6 |
4.5 |
| G |
Peete |
6-4 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
| G |
Haralson |
6-4 |
10.4 |
3.7 |
| G |
Woodard |
6-4 |
11.9 |
5.9 |
| G |
Harrison |
6-3 |
6.6 |
3.8 |
C-USA TOURNAMENT: TU VS. EAST CAROLINA
8:30 p.m. Thursday • BOK Center • TV: CBSSN-249 • Radio: KRMG am740, fm102.3
Original Print Headline: March mission
Bill Haisten 918-581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
TU head coach Danny Manning (left) chats with guard Scottie Haralson during an open practice for the Tulsa basketball team in preparation for the Conference USA Tournament Wednesday at the BOK Center. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World
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