Tulsa's Time - cusa-fans.com

[mr. pony]

Tulsa’s Time
Golden Hurricane Avenges Home Loss To SMU With 74-66 Win
By Rick Atkinson for cusa.com
http://cusa-fans.com/

DALLAS – You might say Tulsa’s world is back on its axis, its laws of physics restored, after thumping SMU on Saturday. After all, under coach Doug Wojcik, the Golden Hurricane had never lost to the Mustangs before that stinging buzzer-beater at home on Jan. 26.

“In six years, we’re 11-1 against SMU,” said Wojcik, “and we’re very fortunate for that. [That loss] was a jagged pill to swallow, it really was, because you look at our losses and we could easily have one loss in this league right now, and we have four. So it was tough. … But give SMU credit. [Doherty] is really doing a nice job in running the Princeton offense, running it better this year than they ever have.”

But not good enough this day. Tulsa’s tweaked defensive approach to ball screens and clamp-down on SMU big man Papa Dia was too much for the Mustangs.

“I thought our post defense with D.J. Magley and Kodi Maduka was much better on Papa Dia than it had been the first game,” Wojcik said.

Dia got his double-digits, 18 points, but was off-balance most of the way, missing several close-range shots. Robert Nyakundi led SMU with a game-high 22 points. Dia also had eight rebounds.
Nyakundi and Dia each had four fouls with 11 minutes left to play, badly cuffing the Mustangs.

Jordan Clarkson led Tulsa with 17 points and Justin Hurtt added 14. Magley had team-high seven boards for the ’Cane.

For Doherty, it came down to SMU turnovers and Tulsa offensive rebounds. Nineteen Mustang turnovers led to 24 ‘Cane points. Sixteen offensive boards led to 15 Tulsa points - 10 more second-chance points than SMU got.

“You feel like you’re just handing them 34 points, then start the game,” Doherty said. “We turned ball over way too much. Give Tulsa some credit for that.”

Tulsa (15-11, 8-4) shot 50 percent for the game to SMU’s 45. The ‘Cane’s bench outscored the Mustangs, 38-5.

Tulsa, now 5-1 since losing to SMU - with wins over Memphis and UTEP - may be the hottest team in C-USA heading down the stretch. Is Tulsa playing the best ball in the league? SMU coach Matt Doherty wouldn’t say.

“I don’t know,” he said. “That’s not for me to judge. I’m worried about my team. I can’t really answer that question.”

Wojcik was asked how far his team can go.

“We are playing pretty well,” he said. “This is two games in a row where we shoot the ball well. … “You lose on the last-second shot to SMU but really you lost the game at the free-throw line and with the turnovers. So, if we can clean that up, we’re just going to take it a game at a time.”

“The difference in this conference, I’ve been in it all six years, is really, the bottom teams are really not the bottom teams. There’s just so much parity. I mean, Rice can beat you, you know? Marshall’s tough. … They’ve beaten West Virginia and they’ve beaten Memphis.”

Maduka’s late dunk gave Tulsa a 34-29 lead at the half. Nyakundi opened the second half with two 3s to give SMU a one-point lead, before Steven Idlet’s two free throws gave Tulsa back the lead seconds later. The ‘Cane never trailed again.

There were six lead changes and six ties, with SMU’s biggest lead - three points - coming in the first half.

SMU (16-10, 7-5) trailed by nine with four minutes left to play before cutting the lead to 64-61 on two driving lay-ups by Samarrippas, a Samarrippas steal and a Dia lay-up.

Magley’s jumper punched the lead back to seven with 1:23 left. SMU got the two steals it desperately needed in the final minute, but couldn’t convert them to points.

A missed uncontested lay-up by SMU’s Ryan Harp could have cut Tulsa’s lead to three with 45 seconds left. ‘Cane free throws then closed it out.

Mike Walker had 10 points off the bench for SMU and drew praise from Doherty for his defensive work on Hurtt. The Mustangs had 10 steals, six by Samarrippas and two by Walker.

Notes
*SMU hit seven 3s on Saturday, setting a new school record for 3-pointers made in a season, 220. The old record was 215 in 2006-07.
*Wojcik was Doherty’s assistant at both Notre Dame and North Carolina. “[Doherty] hired me from the Naval Academy and we got it going at Notre Dame and North Carolina together,” Wojcik said. “I’m very, very grateful. He was the guy that gave me the opportunity to jump from a low-major school like Navy to a high-major school with Notre Dame. I have great respect for him.”
*SMU-Tulsa attendance: 2,606

Quotable Wojcik:
“Papa Dia is probably my vote for [C-USA] Player of the Year. Robert Nyakundi’s probably an all-league player, probably somewhere in the third team. [Jeremiah] Samarrippas is kind of the straw that stirs their drink. They finally have a guy that runs the stuff.”

Next two for SMU:
Wednesday, Feb. 23, Rice, 7 p.m. Central
Saturday, Feb. 26, @ Marshall, 6 p.m. Central



Tim Peete, left, and Robert Nyakundi


Jeremiah Samarrippas


Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik works the ref in the first half

[mrydel]

Mustang Bill, OTP, and I made the middle picture along with our Tulsa "friends"

[mustangbill67]

Finally made the big time and it had to be sitting next to OTP.

[H-E-B Mustang]

Mustang Bill, OTP, and I made the middle picture along with our Tulsa "friends"

My wife and I are in that picture, too. Up above the rail in the cheaper seats.

[ponyte]

Even the Tulsa coach was giving the Village Idiot official of the day the what for. That particular official was not very consistent or observant.

And now all can see the grimmed face sour puss I had to deal with for 10 hours Saturday.

And don't get him started on the little horsey vs. the big horsey issue.

[mrydel]

Even the Tulsa coach was giving the Village Idiot official of the day the what for. That particular official was not very consistent or observant.

And now all can see the grimmed face sour puss I had to deal with for 10 hours Saturday.

And don't get him started on the little horsey vs. the big horsey issue.

I will be following right behind you on the next trip and I will block you out at the meatball line.

[mrydel]

BTW, ponyte asked and for once I did not have an answer. Why are the officials wearing what appear to be communicating devices on their hip? It is not like they have to call home to let their wives know they are ok. My best guess was that they were hooked into the Buffalo Wing place and get notified if they are supposed to arrange an overtime, but I am not sure of that.

[H-E-B Mustang]

The writer of the article and Wojcik can tell their readers and fans all they want how great Tulsa is. The fact is that we shoulda/coulda won that game. (We could use a decent back-up for Papa.)

[ponyte]

Even the Tulsa coach was giving the Village Idiot official of the day the what for. That particular official was not very consistent or observant.

And now all can see the grimmed face sour puss I had to deal with for 10 hours Saturday.

And don't get him started on the little horsey vs. the big horsey issue.

I will be following right behind you on the next trip and I will block you out at the meatball line.

Oh great, now we are fighting over $500 meatballs. Maybe if Craig James handed out the meatballs next time, we could really get worked up in to a lather.

[mrydel]

And he will be wearing a black jersey when he hands them out. I will make him park the gelding outside.

[RGV Pony]

Even the Tulsa coach was giving the Village Idiot official of the day the what for. That particular official was not very consistent or observant.

And now all can see the grimmed face sour puss I had to deal with for 10 hours Saturday.

And don't get him started on the little horsey vs. the big horsey issue.

With 38.something seconds left, there was either a foul or timeout which should have stopped the clock. Three extra seconds ran off. Fans in the front row were pointing this out, but he would have none of it.

[2ndandlong]

Fans in the front row were pointing this out, but he would have none of it.

A few voices courtside won't phase them. Even with the 20 SAEs yelling about it. Those refs didn't feel any pressure. If that place was at 75% capacity, you might make an impact. Butts in seats will make a difference.

[RGV Pony]

Starting and stopping the clock at the correct juncture isn't something that should need influenced.

[RGV Pony]

Oh, one other thing. I can't see the pic on tapatalk, but if 'that particular' official is the one that also t'd up doh, that is Duke Edsall, brother of Randy Edsall

[Treadway21]

Finally made the big time and it had to be sitting next to OTP.

MUstang Bill -I missed properly introducing myself at ozona. We have talked a little soccer in the past, I played with Teddy Wright. I look forward to chatting with you more next time.