Tulsa Falls to Michigan 67-62 in NCAA First Four

Wednesday, March 16

Dayton, Ohio

8:10 p.m.

Tulsa

20-12

Michigan

23-12

Tulsa

Michigan

Tulsa Falls to Michigan 67-62 in NCAA First Four

3/16/2016 11:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Don Tomkalski

Box Score | Postgame Quotes | Photo Gallery

DAYTON, Ohio -- Tulsa's season ended on Tuesday night in the NCAA Tournament First Four when the Golden Hurricane dropped a 67-62 decision against the Michigan Wolverines in front of 12,582 fans at the UD Arena. Tulsa closed out the campaign with an overall 20-12 mark, while Michigan moves onto to face #6-seed Notre Dame on Friday in NCAA First Round action with a 23-12 record.

Shaquille Harrison had a game-high 23 points, but was the only Tulsa player in double-figures. He also added seven rebounds and five assists for the Hurricane. Michigan had four players score in double digits, led by 16 points apiece from Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Zak Irvin.

A poor first 20 minutes saw Tulsa tally a first-half season-low of 20 points. For the game, the Hurricane ended with a better shooting percentage than the Wolverines, 44.6-percent to 40.7 percent, but made just 3-of-15 three pointers. Two of those treys came within the first three minutes of the game by James Woodard and Harrison.

Michigan had a 38-36 edge in rebounding and made 81-percent of its free throws (13-of-16) to just 60-percent for the Hurricane (9-of-15). It was also a game that saw 16 lead changes and nine ties.

Tulsa scored 42 second-half points and overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to take a one-point lead, 60-59, with 1:08 left in the game. But, Michigan's Irvin knocked down a three-pointer to give the Wolverines a 62-60 lead at the 0:53 mark. On the subsequent Tulsa possession, Pat Birt missed a 10-foot jumper. Down the stretch, UM converted 5-of-6 free throws to claim the five-point win.

After trailing 28-20 at halftime, Tulsa went on a 12-4 run in the first three minutes of the second half. Harrison's traditional three-point play tied the game at 32-32 with 17:34 on the clock. Tulsa would match its first half total of 20 points in nearly the first eight minutes of the game when Harrison's layup knotted the score at 40-40 with 11:59 remaining in the contest.

Rashad Ray's free throws put Tulsa ahead 45-44 at the 8:57 mark, but the Wolverines answered with six straight points to take a 51-45 lead with 7:38 left in the game. Tulsa retook the lead at 54-53 on a D'Andre Wright layup at the 4:24 mark. The Hurricane would get the lead two more times at 56-55 and for the last time at 60-59.

The second half was quite different for the Hurricane, but in the last minute it was the Wolverines that made more plays. Tulsa shot 51.6 percent in the second half, out-rebounded Michigan 20 to 15, while grabbing eight offensive rebounds to five for the Wolverines.

Michigan scored the game's first points on a Duncan Robinson three-pointer. Tulsa's James Woodard tied the score at 3-3, while Harrison scored his first trey to put Tulsa ahead 6-3.

Trailing 9-8, Tulsa went on an 8-0 run to take a 16-9 lead at the 9:59 mark when Rashad Smith hit a jumper. Thirteen seconds later, Smith left the floor with a right ankle injury at the 9:46 mark, and Michigan went on an 11-0 run to retake the lead at 20-16.

Smith returned to the floor and knocked down a jumper to end the drought at the 3:22 mark of the first half.

Tulsa trailed at halftime 28-20 after Michigan's Derrick Walton Jr. scored a three-pointer with 0:08 before the intermission. The Hurricane scored only four points in the final 9:59 of the first half.

Tulsa was led by Harrison's seven points in the first half, while Walton led the Wolverines with 10 first-half points.

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