Sunday, January 26
2 p.m.
Tulsa
9-11,3-4AAC
84
vs
77
Wichita State
11-9,1-6AAC
1
2
F
Wichita St.
41
36
77
Tulsa
42
42
84
Photo by: Bill Powell
Golden Hurricane Fires Past Shockers
1/26/2025 7:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TULSA, Okla. – The University of Tulsa men's basketball team had its best shooting performance of the season as the Golden Hurricane took down Wichita State 84-77 in front of more than 3,400 fans in the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Hurricane (9-11, 3-4 The American) shot 58.8 percent from the floor, including 13 3-pointers at a 61.9 percent clip. Both percentages are season highs. Wichita State (11-9, 1-6 The American) hit 49.2 percent of its shots and knocked down seven 3-pointers.
Graduate guard Dwon Odom narrowly missed out on the school's second triple-double, scoring 17 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds. Odom added three blocks and shot 8-of-10 (80 percent) from the floor. Forward Jared Garcia led all scorers with 22 points and knocked down five 3-pointers. Keaston Willis scored 17 and joined Garcia had five triples.
Tulsa assisted on 17 of its 30 field goals and won the battle on the boards 34-29. Wichita State won the turnover battle 14-9 and held an 18-9 advantage in points off turnovers. The Shockers also dominated the paint 46-28. Tulsa's scoring was more spread out, with the TU bench outscoring the WSU reserves 37-9.
Wichita State had four score in double figures, led by 19 from Xavier Bell. Justin Hill added 18, while Harlong Beverly scored 11 and dished out six assists. Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard each scored 10, and Washington led the team with seven boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE FIRST HALF…
Keaston Willis got Tulsa going with a 3-pointer on his first attempt from the field, which Wichita State quickly answered. After the Hurricane pushed the lead to four, which included another Willis three, an 8-0 Shockers run gave them their first lead of the game.
The Shockers held the advantage for the majority of an opening period that saw five ties and four lead changes. However, the Wichita State lead never eclipsed six. Tulsa kept WSU within striking distance before finally retaking the lead for good with 2:35 to play. Tulsa scored five straight points to take a 39-36 advantage.
Wichita State quickly tied with a 3-pointer, but then Tyshawn Archie answered with his lone triple of the game to go ahead 42-39. The half ended with a Wichita State layup with 35 seconds to play in the half as TU took a 42-41 lead to the break.
This was the third straight game where Tulsa outscored its opponent in the opening half. Tulsa shot a scorching 60.7 percent and knocked down 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) 3-pointers. Not to be outdone, Wichita State was good on 55.2 percent of its efforts from the floor and knocked down five 3-pointers as both offenses were well-oiled machines.
Dwon Odom led Tulsa with 13 in the opening half, while Garcia scored nine. Odom added four rebounds and four assists.
A 9-0 TU run helped the Hurricane take the lead for the remainder of the half. A floater from Dwon Odom and Keaston Willis 3-pointer opened the run. Forward Justin Amadi finished the stretch with a breakaway layup and then on the next possession knocking down a pair of free throws as Tulsa took the 14-11 advantage at the 14:07 mark.
ECU cut the lead to 20-19 at the under 12 media timeout. The Hurricane came out of the break with the next six points, the first four off free throws. Then, Isaiah Barnes jumped a pass and took it to the opposite end for a dunk. Tulsa eventually pushed the lead to a half-high nine points three times, the last with five minutes remaining in the half.
A 6-0 run from the Pirates got the Tulsa lead down to three before Odom pulled up for a jumper with 1:45 remaining to stop the bleeding. Garcia and Odom would each score a field goal in the final minute to sandwich an ECU bucket as the Hurricane took a 40-33 lead to the break.
Garcia led the way with 11 points in the opening half. Willis and Odom each had eight. It was the third-most points by the Hurricane in the first half this season. Tulsa hit 48.3 percent of its efforts form the floor and 40.0 percent of 3-pointers, knocking down 4-of-10. Tulsa held ECU to shooting percentages of 37 from the floor and 33.3 from deep, making five-of-15.
IN THE SECOND HALF …
It took Tulsa less than four minutes to extend its lead to double digits. The Hurricane opened the second half on a 13-2 run to take a 55-43 advantage. Willis knocked down a pair of threes in the run, including one to open the half.
Leading 62-52 with 11:14 to play, Tulsa went on a 9-2 run to take a game-high 17-point lead, 71-54. The run was all 3-pointers and Garcia sandwiched an Isaiah Barnes triple with two of his own. The Hurricane would get the lead back to 17 a couple more times, last with 6:27 remaining on an Archie layup to put TU ahead 76-59.
Wichita State chipped away at the TU lead, but the Hurricane would find ways to prevent big runs. The Shockers got the lead under 10 on a second chance 3-pointer from Xavier Bell with 1:19 to play, making the score 82-75. However, Garcia made both free throws on Tulsa's possession to push the lead back to nine.
The Shockers scored again to give the game its final score of 84-77. Tulsa managed to run out the clock on the final possession to secure the win.
Garcia had a big half for the Hurricane, scoring 13 of his 22 and going a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 at the foul line. Odom only had four points but came up with five big rebounds and dished out six assists. Jesaiah McWright had two of his three steals in the second half.
TU cooled off a little from the opening half but still shot 56.5 percent from the floor and was 6-of-10 on 3-pointers. Wichita State made 44.1 percent of its field goals but only 2-of-7 (28.6 percent) of its 3-pointers after shooting much better in the first half.
GAME NOTES
• Tulsa is now 65-78 against the Shockers.
• Braeden Carrington missed the game with an injury sustained midway through the second half at UTSA, his third straight game.
• Dwon Odom collected his fourth double-double of the season and second in a row.
• Odom scored in double figures for the 16th time this season and 68th in his career.
• This was Odom's third game this season with 10 or more assists.
• Keaston Willis scored in double figures for the 14th time this season and 100th in his career.
• Willis has 61 made 3-pointers this season.
• Willis has made 31 of his past 33 free throws (93.9 percent).
• This was Garcia's third game this season to score in double figures and 16th of his career.
The Golden Hurricane finishes its three game homestand with a rematch against UAB on Wednesday evening. Tipoff in the Reynolds Center against the Blazers is set for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
The Hurricane (9-11, 3-4 The American) shot 58.8 percent from the floor, including 13 3-pointers at a 61.9 percent clip. Both percentages are season highs. Wichita State (11-9, 1-6 The American) hit 49.2 percent of its shots and knocked down seven 3-pointers.
Graduate guard Dwon Odom narrowly missed out on the school's second triple-double, scoring 17 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds. Odom added three blocks and shot 8-of-10 (80 percent) from the floor. Forward Jared Garcia led all scorers with 22 points and knocked down five 3-pointers. Keaston Willis scored 17 and joined Garcia had five triples.
Tulsa assisted on 17 of its 30 field goals and won the battle on the boards 34-29. Wichita State won the turnover battle 14-9 and held an 18-9 advantage in points off turnovers. The Shockers also dominated the paint 46-28. Tulsa's scoring was more spread out, with the TU bench outscoring the WSU reserves 37-9.
Wichita State had four score in double figures, led by 19 from Xavier Bell. Justin Hill added 18, while Harlong Beverly scored 11 and dished out six assists. Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard each scored 10, and Washington led the team with seven boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE FIRST HALF…
Keaston Willis got Tulsa going with a 3-pointer on his first attempt from the field, which Wichita State quickly answered. After the Hurricane pushed the lead to four, which included another Willis three, an 8-0 Shockers run gave them their first lead of the game.
The Shockers held the advantage for the majority of an opening period that saw five ties and four lead changes. However, the Wichita State lead never eclipsed six. Tulsa kept WSU within striking distance before finally retaking the lead for good with 2:35 to play. Tulsa scored five straight points to take a 39-36 advantage.
Wichita State quickly tied with a 3-pointer, but then Tyshawn Archie answered with his lone triple of the game to go ahead 42-39. The half ended with a Wichita State layup with 35 seconds to play in the half as TU took a 42-41 lead to the break.
This was the third straight game where Tulsa outscored its opponent in the opening half. Tulsa shot a scorching 60.7 percent and knocked down 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) 3-pointers. Not to be outdone, Wichita State was good on 55.2 percent of its efforts from the floor and knocked down five 3-pointers as both offenses were well-oiled machines.
Dwon Odom led Tulsa with 13 in the opening half, while Garcia scored nine. Odom added four rebounds and four assists.
A 9-0 TU run helped the Hurricane take the lead for the remainder of the half. A floater from Dwon Odom and Keaston Willis 3-pointer opened the run. Forward Justin Amadi finished the stretch with a breakaway layup and then on the next possession knocking down a pair of free throws as Tulsa took the 14-11 advantage at the 14:07 mark.
ECU cut the lead to 20-19 at the under 12 media timeout. The Hurricane came out of the break with the next six points, the first four off free throws. Then, Isaiah Barnes jumped a pass and took it to the opposite end for a dunk. Tulsa eventually pushed the lead to a half-high nine points three times, the last with five minutes remaining in the half.
A 6-0 run from the Pirates got the Tulsa lead down to three before Odom pulled up for a jumper with 1:45 remaining to stop the bleeding. Garcia and Odom would each score a field goal in the final minute to sandwich an ECU bucket as the Hurricane took a 40-33 lead to the break.
Garcia led the way with 11 points in the opening half. Willis and Odom each had eight. It was the third-most points by the Hurricane in the first half this season. Tulsa hit 48.3 percent of its efforts form the floor and 40.0 percent of 3-pointers, knocking down 4-of-10. Tulsa held ECU to shooting percentages of 37 from the floor and 33.3 from deep, making five-of-15.
IN THE SECOND HALF …
It took Tulsa less than four minutes to extend its lead to double digits. The Hurricane opened the second half on a 13-2 run to take a 55-43 advantage. Willis knocked down a pair of threes in the run, including one to open the half.
Leading 62-52 with 11:14 to play, Tulsa went on a 9-2 run to take a game-high 17-point lead, 71-54. The run was all 3-pointers and Garcia sandwiched an Isaiah Barnes triple with two of his own. The Hurricane would get the lead back to 17 a couple more times, last with 6:27 remaining on an Archie layup to put TU ahead 76-59.
Wichita State chipped away at the TU lead, but the Hurricane would find ways to prevent big runs. The Shockers got the lead under 10 on a second chance 3-pointer from Xavier Bell with 1:19 to play, making the score 82-75. However, Garcia made both free throws on Tulsa's possession to push the lead back to nine.
The Shockers scored again to give the game its final score of 84-77. Tulsa managed to run out the clock on the final possession to secure the win.
Garcia had a big half for the Hurricane, scoring 13 of his 22 and going a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 at the foul line. Odom only had four points but came up with five big rebounds and dished out six assists. Jesaiah McWright had two of his three steals in the second half.
TU cooled off a little from the opening half but still shot 56.5 percent from the floor and was 6-of-10 on 3-pointers. Wichita State made 44.1 percent of its field goals but only 2-of-7 (28.6 percent) of its 3-pointers after shooting much better in the first half.
GAME NOTES
• Tulsa is now 65-78 against the Shockers.
• Braeden Carrington missed the game with an injury sustained midway through the second half at UTSA, his third straight game.
• Dwon Odom collected his fourth double-double of the season and second in a row.
• Odom scored in double figures for the 16th time this season and 68th in his career.
• This was Odom's third game this season with 10 or more assists.
• Keaston Willis scored in double figures for the 14th time this season and 100th in his career.
• Willis has 61 made 3-pointers this season.
• Willis has made 31 of his past 33 free throws (93.9 percent).
• This was Garcia's third game this season to score in double figures and 16th of his career.
The Golden Hurricane finishes its three game homestand with a rematch against UAB on Wednesday evening. Tipoff in the Reynolds Center against the Blazers is set for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
Team Stats
WSU
Tulsa
FG%
.492
.588
3FG%
.467
.619
FT%
.667
.611
RB
29
34
TO
9
14
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
5
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
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