Tulsa Plays Rice in C-USA Home Opener Saturday
1/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2011
TULSA, Okla. - The University of Tulsa basketball team returns home to play host to Rice in the Conference USA home opener Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
The Golden Hurricane, which has won three straight home games, enters the game 7-7 overall and 0-1 in C-USA play while the Owls enter the contest with an 8-7 record and a 0-1 mark in league play. For those who cannot make it to the game, live video and live audio via Hurricane Vision, as well as live stats, will be available on www.tulsahurricane.com.
Tulsa averages 73.3 points per game while allowing 70.6 points per game. The Golden Hurricane shoots 44 percent from the floor and allows opponents 42 percent shooting. TU out-rebounds foes, 36.4-32.2 rebounds per contest. The Hurricane also shoots 38 percent from three-point territory and has a .719 free-throw percentage.
Four TU players average more than 10.0 points per game this season. Justin Hurtt leads C-USA and ranks 12th in the nation with 21.8 points per game. Steven Idlet averages 13.7 ppg, Scottie Haralson averages 12.9 ppg and Jordan Clarkson averages 11.4 ppg. Idlet shoots 49 percent from the floor, and Hurtt averages 44 percent from the floor and 89 percent shooting from the free throw line. Idlet and Joe Richard lead TU with 6.6 and 5.6 rebounds per game, respectively. Hurtt leads the Hurricane with 37 assists (2.6 apg), Pope has 26 assists (1.9 apg) and Clarkson averages 2.0 apg.
Rice averages 69.7 points per game and 35.1 rebounds per game. The Owls shoot 45 percent from the field, have a .300 three-point percentage, and shoot 74 percent from the free throw line. Rice opponents average 66.9 points per game, a .430 field-goal percentage, .402 percent from long range, and 30.3 rebounds per game. The Owls are led in scoring by forward Arsalan Kazemi, who averages 18.2 points and 11.3 rebounds per game while shooting 64 percent from the floor. Guard Tamir Jackson averages 13.4 ppg and 3.3 assists per game, while guard Connor Frizzelle averages 8.9 ppg and is a 90-percent free-throw shooter.
This is the 27th meeting between Tulsa and Rice. Tulsa leads the series 20-6. The Golden Hurricane has won seven straight games over the Owls, all since Doug Wojcik arrived in 2005-06. TU won both games in 2009-10, including a, 73-62, win in the C-USA Tournament in Tulsa and a, 62-58, win at the Reynolds Center. Rice last beat the Hurricane in 2005, in Tulsa, when it won three straight between 2004-05. During TU's seven-game winning streak, the Hurricane has posted an average winning margin of 12.7 points. Tulsa is 12-1 all-time vs. Rice in Tulsa.
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.
