Tulsa Hosts Athletes First in Exhibition Game on Sunday
11/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2001
Tulsa, Oklahoma - The University of Tulsa men's basketball team will be in action on Sunday in the first of two preseason exhibition games. The Hurricane will face Athletes First at 2:00 pm. on Sunday, November 4, at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
The Hurricane return eight letterwinners and three starters from last year's NIT Championship squad. Tulsa compiled a 26-11 overall record and a 10-6 mark for second place in the Western Athletic Conference a year ago. Guard Greg Harrington is Tulsa's lone senior, and enters the season needing 83 assists to become the school's career leader. Juniors Kevin Johnson and Dante Swanson were recently named to the preseason all-WAC team as selected by the league's coaches. Johnson is expected to miss Sunday's exhibition game with a foot injury.
Tulsa has faced Athletes First in each of the last three seasons, and have come away with victories in each game. Last year, the Hurricane captured wins over Athletes First, 95-91, and an 84-70 win over the California Southwest All-Stars.
Tulsa has played 36 exhibition games over the years and has a 34-2 record, including a stretch of 20 straight victories, before suffering a 62-54 loss to Conoco Oil in the first exhibition game of the 1997-98 campaign. Tulsa rebounded from that loss with an 86-59 win over Buducnost Yugoslavia.
Athletes First opens the exhibition season on Nov. 1 against Wichita State, and plays Oral Roberts on Nov. 3. Local players expected to suit up for Athletes First include former TU star guard Tony Heard, Chad Wilkerson of ORU, and Eric Martin, Kermit Holmes and James Mayden of Oklahoma.
Individual game ticket prices are $13 and $19. Fans can still purchase season tickets for the 2001-02 campaign by calling the TU athletic ticket office at 918-631-GoTU (4688).
