Tulsa Comeback Falls Short Against SMU 74-69

Wednesday, December 29

7:00 PM

Tulsa

6-6,0-1AAC

SMU

10-3,1-0AAC

SMU

Tulsa

Tulsa Comeback Falls Short Against SMU 74-69

12/29/2021 11:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Gamebook (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

TULSA, Okla. –– Tulsa battled back from a large deficit in its American Athletic Conference opener, but eventually fell to SMU 74-69 in the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Wednesday evening.

The loss dropped Tulsa to 6-6 (0-1 AAC), while SMU's seventh-straight win improved its record to 10-3 (1-0 AAC).

After trailing by as many as 19 in the second half, Darien Jackson cut the Mustang lead to 72-69 with 2:47 to play. On the ensuing possession, Sam Griffin stole the ball near midcourt, but was unable to convert the contested lefthanded layup on the other end. Tulsa would have multiple opportunities to get within one or tie but were unable to convert. Michael Weathers hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining to make it a two-possession game, 74-69, and an offensive foul on Horne ended the evening.

Griffin led the Hurricane in scoring with 14 points. He also had a game-high three steals. Anthony Pritchard set a career-mark with 12 points. Jackson had 11 points to go with five rebounds and Jeriah Horne notched his second-consecutive double-double as he recorded 10 points and tied his career high with 12 rebounds.

Preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection Kendric Davis had a game-high 26 points on 8-16 shooting (50 percent). However, Tulsa's defense tightened up on him in the second half, holding him to seven points, forcing Davis to shoot 3-9 (33.3 percent) from the field and 1-7 (14.2 percent) from 3-point range.

Tulsa outshot the Mustangs 45.5 percent to 45.1 percent and hit seven more shots than the Mustangs (30-23). However, SMU knocked down 11 3-pointers to Tulsa's five. SMU also held a large advantage at the free throw line, where the Mustangs converted 17-of-24. Tulsa only had five attempts, despite the Hurricane holding a 42-22 advantage in points scored in the paint.

Tulsa was outrebounded 38-31 on the evening and SMU held a slight 11-10 advantage on offensive boards. Both teams finished with 15 second-chance points. Tulsa won the turnover battle 10-13 and had seven steals to SMU's one.

The Mustangs came out hot to start the second half, going on a 15-6 run in the first 3:25, capped by an Emmanuel Bandoumel 3-pointer to go up 58-39. Tulsa responded with a 12-0 run to get back into the game thanks to five points from Jackson, four from Horne and a 3-pointer from Keyshawn Embery-Simpson. SMU put an end to the run with a layup from Davis, to push its lead to 60-51 with 12:11 remaining.

Tulsa didn't allow SMU to regain its large lead. Davis hit another three to put the Mustangs back up 10 63-53, but Pritchard immediately responded one of his own to bring Tulsa back within seven at the 9:20 mark. The Mustangs went up 11 again, 67-56, with 7:52 to play, but Tulsa responded on its next three possessions. Tim Dalger converted on a layup, then Griffin knocked down a jumper and three-pointer to bring Tulsa within 68-63 with 5:53 remaining.
Dalger and Griffin would go back-to-back again to get Tulsa within three at 70-67 before Jackson would score Tulsa's final points soon afterward.

SMU jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the game off a quick 3-pointer in the opening minute. Pritchard's first 3-pointer of the evening gave Tulsa its first lead 11-10 at the 13:32 mark of the opening period. Eventually an old-fashioned 3-point play from Griffin would give Tulsa its largest lead of the night 21-16 with 9:34 to play in the first half.

A 5-0 run tied the game at 21, and shortly after, SMU took the lead for good with a pair of free throws to make it 25-23. A pull-up three from Davis with 1:03 remaining made it 43-33, which was the halftime score.

Davis had 19 points in the first half to lead both scorers. Griffin and Pritchard led Tulsa with seven points each. The Mustangs shot 50 percent from the field and from deep in the first half, contributing to the halftime lead. SMU also got to the bonus early and went 12-16 from the line (75.0 percent) while Tulsa's only free throw came on Griffin's and-one.

Tonight's game puts an end to the 2021 portion of the schedule. The Hurricane start the new year in Memphis, Tenn. when Tulsa takes on the Memphis Tigers on Jan. 4. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. on ESPNU.