Tulsa
Hawaii
Tulsa Comes Up Just Short To Hawaii, 68-65
1/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2001
HONOLULU (AP) - Troy Ostler and Predrag Savovic each scored 18 points and Nerijus Puida added 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as Hawaii ended a four-game losing streak Saturday night with a 68-65 victory over Tulsa.
The Rainbows (7-8 overall, 1-3 Western Athletic Conference) led 65-60 with 38 seconds left, but Greg Harrington countered with five points around a free throw by Hawaii's Phil Martin to make it a one-point game.
Savovic, who scored only two points in the first half, added a pair of free throws to make it a three-point difference with 9.3 ticks left. Marcus Hill's desperation 3-point attempt from 25 feet bounced off the front rim at the buzzer.
Savovic and Ostler, starting his first game since injuring an ankle six games ago, carried the scoring load down the stretch for Hawaii. Savovic contributed three 3-pointers to go with a basket and the free throws, while Ostler contributed four points and a pair of rebounds.
Puida did his damage in the first half, scoring 10 points and getting four rebounds as Hawaii gained a 29-25 lead at the halfway point.
Hill led the Golden Hurricane (10-6, 1-2) with 20 points, with Kevin Johnson adding 19 and eight rebounds.
Tulsa got off to a 7-0 lead, only to have the Rainbows go on an 18-4 run to make it 18-11. The Golden Hurricane answered with a spurt of their own, 11-4, to close the gap.
In the second half, Hawaii opened a 45-38 lead, but Hill hit a 3-pointer and a basket to narrow the score.
Between the 5:41 and 3:14 mark, there were four lead changes and three ties before Ostler put Hawaii ahead for good with a field goal.
