Tulsa
Houston
Tulsa Drops Heartbreaker in Houston, 64-57
1/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 19, 2011
Box Score |
Box Score 
HOUSTON - Justin Hurtt, Steven Idlet and Bryson Pope combined for 47 points to lead The University of Tulsa basketball team in a, 64-57, loss at Houston, Wednesday evening at Hofheinz Pavillion.
The Golden Hurricane, which fell to 9-9 overall and 2-2 in C-USA play, held a, 55-54, with under four minutes remaining. However, the only points TU got for the rest of the game was a dunk by Idlet with 1:42 remaining. The Cougars improved to 11-6 overall and 3-1 in league play.
TU travels to Tulane for a 2 p.m. game Saturday. The contest will be televised by Cox Sports Television, channel 269 in Tulsa.
Hurtt led all scorers with 20 points, while Idlet put up a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting. Pope made four of his eight shots to finish with 13 points.
Tulsa held UH to 38 percent shooting, the 10th straight game in which it has held its opponent under 50 percent from the floor, and sixth straight under 42 percent. TU shot 36 percent from the field, and 55 percent from the free throw line, making 11-of-20.
Houston made 72 percent of its free throws, going 21-for-29, including four free shots in the final minute. Four Cougars scored in double figures, led by Zamal Nixon, who made 12-of-12 free throws and finished with 14 points.
Houston opened the second half with a 13-4 run to go ahead, 42-34, with 15:11 left in the game. Tulsa then countered with an, 8-1, charge to take a, 43-42, lead with 12:26 remaining.
The Cougars then scored 11 of the next 18 points to take a, 53-50, lead with 7:52 on the clock. Five straight TU points, fueled by two Hurtt jumpers and a Pope free throw gave the Hurricane a, 55-53, lead with 6:00 left.
The Golden Hurricane trailed, 58-55, when Idlet slammed an easy dunk to close the deficit to one point with 1:42 left. UH's Adam Brown then made a layup with 29 seconds left to give the Cougars a, 60-57, lead.
Nixon made all four of his free throws in the final minute to help Houston pull away to a, 64-57, win.
Tulsa stormed out to a, 14-4, lead to start the game, and scored the first eight points of . TU extended its lead to, 20-8, with 12:38 on the clock. By the 8:47 mark, however, Houston had closed to, 22-19. With a 20-9 run, the Cougars took a, 24-23, lead with 6:06 left in the half.
Houston's largest first-half lead was, 28-23, with 3:19 remaining, but the Golden Hurricane closed the half with a 7-1 run, to take a, 30-29, lead into the intermission. Hurtt made two free throws with 56 seconds left, putting TU ahead.
The Hurricane began the game on fire, hitting six of its first 10 shots, but finished the half, 5-for-21. The TU defense was strong, however, as it held UH to 33-percent shooting in the opening period.
For all Tulsa basketball news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.com.
