Tulsa Men’s Basketball Announces Conference Schedule

TULSA, Okla. –– The University of Tulsa's 2021-22 men's basketball schedule is now complete following the release of the 18-game American Athletic Conference slate on Thursday afternoon.

After a 13-game non-conference schedule, Tulsa's League schedule has the Hurricane playing home and home games against UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Memphis, USF, SMU, Temple and Wichita State. The Hurricane will also host the Houston Cougars, but will only face the Tulane Green Wave in a road matchup.

Head Coach Frank Haith returns for his eighth season at the helm of the Golden Hurricane, which returns seven letterwinners, including three starters. Tulsa's returners are led by Rey Idowu, The American's reigning Sixth Man of the Year Darian Jackson and Keyshawn Embery-Simpson, who averaged 7.9, 7.6 and 7.3 points per game respectively.

Bolstering the Hurricane squad is the return of Jeriah Horne, who spent a graduate season at Colorado. He helped lead Colorado to an NCAA tournament appearance and finished the season second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.8 per game.

Tulsa welcomes SMU to the Donald W. Reynolds Center to drop the curtain on the 2021 portion of the season on Dec. 29. TU will look to get back into the win column against the Mustangs after dropping a close one to the Mustangs a year ago. The second meeting was canceled due to Covid. Tulsa leads the all-time series 33-22.

The Hurricane ring in the new year with a pair of road games against Memphis on Jan. 4 and UCF on Jan. 8, before returning home to host Temple on Feb. 12 and Houston on the 15th.

Tulsa beat a talented Memphis squad, who would go on to win the NIT, in both appearances last season. Memphis returns three of its five starters, including all-conference first team selection and NIT Most Outstanding Player Landers Nolley II. He's joined by 11 incoming players Sports Illustrated's 14th-ranked draft class.

Tulsa handed then No. 5 Houston its first loss of the season in a thrilling 65-64 nationally televised game a year ago. A pair of clutch free throws from Brandon Rachal sunk the Cougars in the waning seconds. Houston went on to make the Final Four, losing to the eventual National Champion Baylor Bears. The Cougars return seven lettermen and two starters to a team that finished No. 6 in the AP poll.

After the brief homestand, TU will alternate locations, starting with a game at Cincinnati on Jan. 20, then returning home to play Memphis in the second matchup between the pair on Jan. 23. Then it's back on the road for the lone game against Tulane on Jan. 26. South Florida comes to town to close out the month of January on the 29th.

The Hurricane picked up their first win against Cincinnati since 2016 and first in Cincinnati since 1967 when they beat the Bearcats 70-66 on Jan. 2, snapping a seven-game skid.

Tulsa start February with a short trip up I-35 to continue the rivalry with Wichita State (Feb. 1) and will make the trip to Temple on Feb. 5. WSU stretched their all-time series lead to 72-62 with a pair of wins last season. The Shockers return co-American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Tyson Etienne, who averaged 16.3 points per game.

Tulsa returns home to host East Carolina (Feb. 8) and Cincinnati (Feb. 12) before a season-long three-game road trip that sees the Hurricane with rematches against South Florida (Feb. 19), SMU (Feb. 23) and East Carolina (Feb. 26). Tulsa leads the all-time series against East Carolina 23-3 and took the lone matchup between the squads 77-68 in Greenville a year ago.

Tulsa closes the regular season at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, hosting Wichita State on Mar. 2, and UCF on Mar. 6.

The American Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament is set to run March 10-13 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tulsa Men’s Basketball Announces Conference Schedule

Players Mentioned

Keyshawn Embery-Simpson

Jeriah Horne

Rey Idowu

Brandon Rachal

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