Hot Shooting Tulsa Runs Past Tulane, 81-67

Sunday, January 10

New Orleans, La.

1:00 p.m.

Tulsa

10-6,2-2American

Tulane

7-10,0-4American

Tulsa

TULANE

Photo by: Dave Crenshaw

Hot Shooting Tulsa Runs Past Tulane, 81-67

1/10/2016 4:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Eric Hollier

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS – Junior Pat Birt scored 27 points on seven 3-pointers, and senior James Woodard put up 21 points on five treys to lead the Tulsa basketball team to an 81-67 win at Tulane in American Athletic Conference action Sunday afternoon at Devlin Fieldhouse.

The Golden Hurricane (10-6, 2-2 American) shot 59 percent from the field, including 13-of-20 beyond the arc, while holding the Green Wave (7-10, 0-4 American) to 39 percent from the field. Birt connected on 7-of-10 3-pointers, and Woodard converted 5-of-6 from downtown. Shaquille Harrison added 11 points and seven assists. Dylan Osetkowksi led Tulane with 18 points.

Tulsa's 13 3-pointers set a season-high, and Birt hit season-high marks with seven treys and 27 points. Woodard's five threes matched his season best, and Harrison's seven assists were a new best for the season.

"It was a great road win for us. Offensively we were really, really good all night," Tulsa Head Coach Frank Haith said. "Defensively, we got off to a slow start, and they had a little rhythm going offensively. Once we got better and got stops, I was really pleased and encouraged with how we played on the offensive end. We shot the ball extremely well. Those two guys (Birt and Woodard) had great nights. Pat has been wanting a game like that, and he's a rhythm guy and got into a rhythm early. It was good to see James, who's been nicked up, play as well as he played."

Tulsa pulled away with a 24-8 run that spanned the final 1:28 of the first half and the first 8:13 of the second, to take a 64-47 lead. Woodard hit a 3-pointer with 7:06 left to play to make the score, 71-53, and then made a free throw to extend the margin to 19 points, 72-53, with 6:40 remaining.

The Hurricane led, 76-57, after a Birt jumper with 5:27 left, but Tulane scored seven straight to cut the lead to 76-64 with 2:43 on the clock. Tulane pulled as close as 11 points, 78-67, but a foul shot by Woodard and a Harrison jumper in the final minute produced the final, 81-67 margin.

Tulsa shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and converted 4-of-7 3-pointers, while holding the Green Wave to 25 percent from the field and 1-of-16 threes in the second period. Tulane held a 45-22 advantage in rebounding.

Tulane jumped out to a 12-3 lead to start the game, and led 16-9, before the Hurricane went on a 13-4 run to move ahead, 22-20 with 11:47 left in the first half. Birt sandwiched a pair of threes around a Woodard trey during the run. The lead stayed within two points and changed hands 11 times during the next eight minutes, before a layup by Brandon Swannegan gave Tulsa the lead for good with 3:55 to play in the half. Tulsa ended the first period on a 11-4 run, taking a 45-39 lead into the break.

The Hurricane shot 67 percent in the first half, making 18-of-27 field goals and 9-of-13 3-pointers (69 percent). Birt scored 17 points and Woodard was 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, as the two guards combined for eight threes in the opening period. Tulane shot 55 percent in the first half.

The Golden Hurricane returns home to play host to UConn Thursday at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

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