Tulsa World: TU Basketball Notebook: Wheatley returns

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TU Basketball Notebook: Wheatley returns

Tulsa guard Ben Uzoh puts up a shot against Loyola Marymount’s Tim Diederichs and LaRon Armstead as Drew Viney watches in the first period on Tuesday. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World

By ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
Published: 11/25/2009 2:21 AM
Last Modified: 11/25/2009 6:57 AM

One of Tuesday night's loudest cheers in Tulsa's 79-65 win over Loyola Marymount came when Bishop Wheatley was announced in the Golden Hurricane's starting lineup.

The senior forward was making his season debut after sitting out four games because of a 2006 NCAA rules violation.

After registering a turnover on Tulsa's first possession, Wheatley scored the Golden Hurricane's first two baskets to the delight of the 4,626 at the Reynolds Center.

Wheatley finished with 10 points and four rebounds in 31 minutes of action. He was two points shy of matching his career high.

"We definitely fed off his energy early," said Ben Uzoh. "Bishop is our do-it-all guy."

Balanced attack: Tulsa had four starters — Uzoh (22 points), Jerome Jordan (11), Steven Idlet (10) and Wheatley (10) — finish in double figures.

Justin Hurtt and Joe Richard finished with nine points each.

"That just shows we have a lot of guys that are capable of putting the ball into the basket," Uzoh said about the offensive attack. "We had great teamwork and a lot of unselfishness. We're starting to click more. Our chemistry is definitely building."

Triumph and tragedy: It has been 20 years since Loyola Marymount's bittersweet basketball season.

The high-scoring Lions advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in the 1989-90 season, but played the final games without one of their star players. Hank Gathers collapsed during a West Coast Conference Tournament game and was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.

His best friend and fellow Philadelphian Bo Kimble shot his first free throw with his left hand in the NCAA Tournament, a tribute to the left-handed Gathers.

Hitting the road: The Hurricane will play its first road game of the season when it visits Missouri State on Saturday night.

The Bears are 4-0, with all of their victories coming at JQH Arena, including a 73-62 victory over Auburn.

Missouri State leads the all-time series 17-16. The Hurricane has won 11 of the past 12 meetings since 1996, including the last five games in Springfield. By ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer

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