Hill Drains Last-Second Three-Pointer to Cap Tulsa’s 63-60 Comeback Win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Wednesday, November 6

Tulsa, Okla.

6:30 p.m.

Tulsa

1-0,0-0AAC

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

0-2,0-0SWAC

Ark.-Pine Bluff

Tulsa

Hill Drains Last-Second Three-Pointer to Cap Tulsa’s 63-60 Comeback Win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

11/6/2024 11:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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TULSA, Okla. — Returning guard Elise Hill started her sophomore season with a bang after she sank a last-second three-pointer in the final second of the Golden Hurricane women's basketball team's 2024-25 season-opener, capping a 17-point comeback for the 63-60 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Wednesday night in the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

With five seconds left, Hill, a Tulsa native, fielded an inbounded pass from sophomore teammate Mady Cartwright, took the ball to the top of the key, and swished it in front of 1,355 roaring fans in the Reynolds Center. The hometown hero would finish with 12 points of 5-for-9 shooting, including 2 three-pointers.

"The look was for Delanie [Crawford]," Hill said. "It's Delanie Crawford, so of course she had two defenders locking her up. She wasn't open, and I saw the player who was on me step down and I just trusted my process when I let that thing go."

Crawford finished with a team-high 19 points off four field goals, three of which were from three-point land, to go with 8-of-9 free throws made. After being held to just two points off free throws in the first half, she came alive in the second half with 17 points.

It was a tale of two halves in the Reynolds Center. TU trailed by as many as 17 points at 42-25 going into halftime. The Hurricane was held to just 9-for-29 in field goals for 31-percent shooting while the Lions were 15-for-29 for 52-percent.

It was Tulsa's defense that stepped up bigtime in the second half that allowed the Hurricane to come back as the offense continued to shoot poorly (9-34, 26.5%). UAPB could make only seven baskets in the second half, and just two in the fourth quarter.

Down 55-48 in the fourth quarter, neither team could score for the first four minutes and 27 seconds until TU began drawing fouls that led to key free throws. Cartwright went perfect with a 4-4 mark, including the game-tying free throws with 17 seconds left. Crawford added three free throws, sophomore Jade Clack made two free throws and Lexie Foutch made one.

Cartwright drew the biggest foul of the night on a charge by the Lions' offense with five seconds to go. When Hill made her game-winning three, it was the first time TU had the lead since the 1:36 mark in the first quarter. UAPB had the advantage in the game for 30 minutes and 50 seconds.

"I am absolutely so proud of this team, especially their heart and their fight, every time they take the floor," Head Coach Angie Nelp said. "There is a 'never give up' attitude. They continued to fight. We had a tougher start when our shots weren't falling. We didn't shoot great all game. We struggled to see the ball go in the basket. We had so many players who did great tonight. Elise Hill hitting that game-winner was huge. Mady Cartwright's free throws, taking that charge at the end, and Delanie Crawford's scoring in the second half. There were just so many pieces that contributed all around to that team win."

Tulsa will hit the road to take on Missouri State (0-0) on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE FIRST QUARTER . . .
The first points of the season were scored by returning sophomore Elise Hill, who rebounded a missed three by the Lions and drove down the court for the fastbreak layup.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff took advantage of a three-minute 23-second scoring drought by the Hurricane to grab the lead at 14-12 with 1:04 remaining in the frame.

Tulsa was held to just 4-17 shooting as four different TU players made one bucket. The score was 16-12 UAPB after the first 10 minutes.

IN THE SECOND QUARTER . . .
Period No. 2 was all UAPB as the Lions outscored the Hurricane 26-13 off 10-of-17 shooting, including 4-for-8 from three.

A 16-2 scoring run in the final 5:09 of the second quarter by Arkansas-Pine Bluff launched the Lions ahead by as many as 17 points going into the half, leading the Hurricane 42-25 at the break.

IN THE THIRD QUARTER . . .
After being held to just two points in the first half, Delanie Crawford rattled off seven in the first three minutes.

Four Lion turnovers in a 3:05 span helped get Tulsa to within eight points at 48-40 at 4:58

Paige Bradley drained a three-pointer with 39 seconds to play in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points at 55-48 UAPB going into the fourth quarter.

IN THE FOURTH QUARTER . . .
Neither team could score to start the fourth quarter as Tulsa went 0-8 and UAPB 0-3 before the Lions called a timeout at 6:02. Mady Cartwright finally broke the drought when she made a pair of free throws at the 5:33 mark.

Nearly a minute later at 4:33 Delanie Crawford drew a shooting foul and made a subsequent free throw to make it a 55-51 game.

Lexie Foutch was the next Hurricane player to draw a foul and make one from the charity line to make it just a three-point game at 55-52.

A Lions' three and an Elise Hill layup later, the score read 58-54 in favor of UAPB with just two minutes to play. From there neither team could score until Tulsa called a timeout with 50 seconds to go.

Jade Clack drew a key foul with 41.6 on the clock and came through with two made free throws to bring the deficit to just two points at 58-56. Then, a lion's layup on an in-bound pass and two Delanie Crawford free throws moved it to 60-58.

After Jade Clack rebounded a missed Lions' layup at 0:25, TU brought it down the court and attempted a three that would have given the Hurricane the lead. Mady Cartwright was fouled on the rebound and went to the line to shoot two. The returning sophomore kept her cool and drained both baskets to tie it up at 60 points all with 17 seconds to go.

Cartwright then drew a key charge that gave the Hurricane the ball with just five seconds left in regulation.

Elise Hill called her own number and sank the go-ahead buzzer-beater at the top of the key, locking up the 63-60 season-opening victory for the Golden Hurricane. It was a 7-0 scoring run for TU as the Hurricane outscored the Lions 15-5 in the fourth quarter.

GAME NOTES

Tulsa improved to 16-2 in the last 18 home games at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
The win moved the Hurricane to 5-0 in the all-time series to UAPB.
TU has now won six of its last seven season-openers to improve to 16-24 ‚Ä¶ Angie Nelp is now 4-0 in season-opening contests.
Senior Delanie Crawford had her first double-figure scoring game of the season and the 60th of her career with 19 points today ‚Ä¶ it was also her 27th consecutive double-digit game.
Crawford has 1,214 career points, ranking ninth on the all-time TU scoring chart ‚Ä¶ she needs 88 points to pass Lila Osceola's (1996-00) 1,301 points.
Sophomore Elise Hill recorded her first double-digit scoring contest of the year and fourth of her career.
Tulsa outscored UAPB 15-5 in the fourth quarter.
Transfers Kristol Ayson, Paige Bradley, Jade Clack and McKayla Miller all saw their first playing time for the Golden Hurricane.