Tulsa Opens 76 Classic Against UNLV Thursday
11/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2010
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Tulsa basketball team arrived in Southern California Tuesday night to cold and rainy conditions, but things will heat up Thursday night when the Golden Hurricane opens the 76 Classic against UNLV (10:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2) at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The Golden Hurricane (2-1) is on the road for the first time this season, and will meet the Rebels (3-0) for the eighth time in school history. TU has won two straight this year, defeating Oral Roberts, 83-68, and Missouri State, 62-50, last week.
This is the fourth year of the 76 Classic. Other teams on TU's side of the bracket are Stanford and Murray State. The other side of the bracket includes Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, DePaul and Cal State Northridge.
The Golden Hurricane is averaging 77.0 points per game and shooting 46.6 percent from the floor, while opponents are averaging 69.0 points per game and a 38.6 shooting percentage. TU averages 38.9 percent from three-point range, while allowing opponents 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Hurricane outrebounds opponents, 36.3 to 34.0 rebounds per game.
Four Tulsa players average double-digit scoring, led by Justin Hurtt's 18.7 points per game. Steven Idlet averages 16.0 points and 4.7 rebounds, Scottie Haralson averages 15.0 points and 4.7 rebounds, and Jordan Clarkson averages 12.7 points and 2.0 assists per game. Joe Richard averages 6.7 rebounds per game.
UNLV averages 81.7 points per game and shoots 55.2 percent from the floor, while opponents are averaging 54.0 points per game and a 30.1 shooting percentage. The Runnin' Rebels average 37.2 percent from three-point range, while opponents shoot 29.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Rebels outrebound opponents, 39.7 to 35.0 rebounds per game.
Like Tulsa, four UNLV players average double-digit scoring, led by Chace Stanback, who averages 17.3 points per game. Oscar Bellfield averages 14.0 points and 4.0 rebounds, Anthony Marshall averages 10.7 points and 3.67 rebounds, and Karam Mashour averages 10.0 points per game. Derrick Jasper leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game.
UNLV leads the all-time series, 5-2. Tulsa won the last meeting on March 17, 2000, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 89-62. Three of Tulsa's five losses have been by just one point, while the Hurricane has a 15.0-point winning margin in its two wins. The two schools were members of the Western Athletic Conference for three years, from 19906-97 through 1998-99.
The winner of the Tulsa-UNLV game will play the winner of the Stanford-Murray State game Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT, while the losers face off at 10:30 p.m. CT. Both games will be televised by ESPNU, and all tournament games will be televised on the ESPN Networks.
For all Tulsa basketball news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane. Become a fan of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane page on Facebook - www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.
