Wednesday, February 12
Philadelphia, Pa.
6 p.m.
Tulsa
10-15,4-8AAC
80
at
74
Temple
14-11,6-6AAC
1
2
F
Tulsa
34
46
80
Temple
35
39
74
Tulsa Grounds Owls with Hot-Shooting Second Half
2/13/2025 3:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Golden Hurricane shot 72 percent from the floor in the second half to hand Temple its first home loss of the season 80-74 in the Liacouras Center on Wednesday evening.
Tulsa made 18 of its 25 efforts, including four 3-pointers in the 46-point second half, overturning a 35-34 halftime deficit. Temple led nine with less than 10 to play before a 13-0 Tulsa run powered by five points from Keaston Willis and a pair of exhilarating dunks from Dwon Odom and Isaiah Barnes.
Willis led the way for the Hurricane with 19 points, 15 of which came in the second half. He also led the team with seven rebounds and added a pair of steals. Odom recorded his fifth double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and dishing out 10 assists. He did his usual box score stuffing with six rebounds and three steals.
The Hurricane also got 14 points from Barnes, who got Tulsa going with two early 3-pointers, and the freshman Ian Smikle added 10 big points.
For the game, the Hurricane shot 53.4 percent from the field, knocking down more than half of its shots for the sixth time this season. Tulsa also got 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) to fall from 3-point range. The Owls didn't shoot poorly either, hitting 42.4 percent of their shots and making five second half 3-pointers to finish 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) for the game from long range.
Temple was bolstered by the return of star guard and the nation's second leading scorer in Jamal Mashburn, Jr., who scored 19 with six assists, but was held to 6-of-20 (30 percent) from the field. He paced five Owls who finished in double figures in scoring, including Elijah Gray, who recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds.
One of the best teams at getting to the foul line, Temple held a big advantage that helped keep it a game late despite Tulsa's hot shooting. The Owls took 24 trips to the free throw line, converting 19 times (79.2 percent), while Tulsa was just 10-of-17 (53.4 percent).
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE FIRST HALF…
Isaiah Barnes came out and knocked down back-to-back 3-point attempts before Keaston Willis connected on a floater as for the second game in a row Tulsa came out with a lot of energy and took an early 8-4 lead.
An 8-0 Temple Run that ended with a pair of free throws out of the first media timeout gave the Owls a 14-9 lead with 13:44 to play. Tulsa would not get the lead back in the opening half. Dwon Odom found Justin Amadi running the baseline for a layup to end the run.
Trailing 18-11, the Hurricane again connected on a pair of 3-pointers get to the Tulsa within one with 10:48 remaining in the half. Braeden Carrington found Tyshawn Archie for a catch and shoot triple for the first make. On the next TU possession, Ian Smikle rebounded a miss and, as he was falling out of bounds, threw it up top to Carrington, who delivered.
An Archie layup with 9:38 left in the half helped TU get back within one, 20-19, but would be the last TU field goal for more than five minutes. During the stretch, Tulsa went 0-6 with a pair of turnovers and the only points came on a pair of Jared Garcia free throws. The Owls didn't share Tulsa's struggles, scoring 12 points to take a 32-23 lead before an Odom jumper snapped the Hurricane out of the drought with 4:27 to play.
In the final 3:08 of the opening stanza, Tulsa outscored the Owls 10-2 to cut a 10-point deficit down to one, 35-34 at the half. Willis got things started with a jumper, and then consecutive layups from Ian Smikle cut the lead to three. Odom sandwiched a Temple layup with a layup of his own and a baseline jumper that beat the halftime buzzer.
The Hurricane shot 39.4 percent in the opening half and 33.3 percent from 3-point range. Odom and Barnes led the way for the Hurricane with seven and six points, respectively. Temple was held without a 3-pointer in the opening half, just the second time this season TU has held an opponent without a triple in a half.
IN THE SECOND HALF …
The hosts scored on their first six possessions to open the second half, as the Owls' lead blossomed back to nine, 49-40, forcing a Tulsa timeout at the 16:54 mark.
Temple's lead remained nine, 61-52, with 9:50 to play when Tulsa flipped the game with a 13-0 run over the next 3:42 as the Hurricane took a suddenly led 65-61. A Garcia hook shot got the run going. After an Odom jumper, Barnes and Odom went back-to-back with spectacular dunks in traffic to get the Hurricane within one. From there Tulsa turned the defensive pressure up even more as Odom recorded a steal and found Willis for a layup and the lead. After another stop, Odom found Willis again, this time for three to cap the run.
The Owls weren't done, responding with six straight, including an emphatic 3-pointer, to retake the lead 67-65, showing why they have been untouchable at home this season.
Willis answered back with another 3-pointer to give Tulsa the lead back. A minute later, he'd put Tulsa up 73-68 with 2:27 to play. After a stop, Odom split a pair of free throws to give the Hurricane a six-point lead, its largest of the night.
Tulsa was called for a foul on a Temple 3-pointer, and Steve Settle converted all three to halve the TU lead. Carrington drew a foul of his own on the other end after breaking a Temple press and made one of two to push the lead back to four. Quante Berry knocked down his second triple of the game and the TU lead was just one, 75-74, with a minute remaining.
Odom came through with the big shot of the night for Tulsa. He received a pass on the left side of the court and dribbled toward The American logo inside the 3-point arc before switching to his right, beating his defender to the left elbow and pulling up with a one-handed leaning jumper that fell for the 77-74 lead.
Willis would knock down a pair of free throws and Odom would add a third as Tulsa closed out the 80-74 win.
The Hurricane shot 72 percent in the second half, the best in percentage in any half this season. Tulsa also hit 44.4 percent of its 3-pointers, knocking down four. Willis was 3-of-4 in the half and Carrington knocked down one.
Willis scored 15 of his points in the second half, while Odom added nine to go with seven assists. Barnes scored eight. Tulsa dominated the paint in the second stanza, outscoring the Owls 24-10.
GAME NOTES
• Tulsa improves to 13-8 against Temple all-time
• TU moves to 6-6 in Philadelphia and 5-6 in the Liacouras Center, having won two in a row in the building.
• Temple was 10-0 in the Liacouras Center this season heading into tonight's game.
• The most recent loss in the building for Temple was Tulsa last season, 72-67.
• This was Tulsa's second time to win after trailing at the half … TU is 2-11 this season in such games.
• The 72 percent Tulsa shot in the second half was the most in a single half this year, beating the 62.9 percent (22-of-35) in the opening half against Southwestern Christian.
• Keaston Willis scored in double figures for the 16th time this season and 102nd in his career.
• Dwon Odom scored in double figures for the 21st time this season and 73rd in his career.
• This was Odom's fifth double-double of the season and third with points and assists … it is his fourth double-digit assist game of the season.
• Isaiah Barnes scored in double figures for the ninth time this season and 22nd of his career.
• Ian Smikle scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and in his career.
• Keaston Willis has 73 made 3-pointers this season and 373 for his career, ranking him 51st all-time in the NCAA.
• Odom leads the American in assists with 132 this season.
The Golden Hurricane returns to the Donald W. Reynold Center to play in the latter half of a Saturday Tulsa basketball doubleheader. TU hosts UTSA in a nationally televised game at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.
Tulsa made 18 of its 25 efforts, including four 3-pointers in the 46-point second half, overturning a 35-34 halftime deficit. Temple led nine with less than 10 to play before a 13-0 Tulsa run powered by five points from Keaston Willis and a pair of exhilarating dunks from Dwon Odom and Isaiah Barnes.
Willis led the way for the Hurricane with 19 points, 15 of which came in the second half. He also led the team with seven rebounds and added a pair of steals. Odom recorded his fifth double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and dishing out 10 assists. He did his usual box score stuffing with six rebounds and three steals.
The Hurricane also got 14 points from Barnes, who got Tulsa going with two early 3-pointers, and the freshman Ian Smikle added 10 big points.
For the game, the Hurricane shot 53.4 percent from the field, knocking down more than half of its shots for the sixth time this season. Tulsa also got 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) to fall from 3-point range. The Owls didn't shoot poorly either, hitting 42.4 percent of their shots and making five second half 3-pointers to finish 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) for the game from long range.
Temple was bolstered by the return of star guard and the nation's second leading scorer in Jamal Mashburn, Jr., who scored 19 with six assists, but was held to 6-of-20 (30 percent) from the field. He paced five Owls who finished in double figures in scoring, including Elijah Gray, who recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds.
One of the best teams at getting to the foul line, Temple held a big advantage that helped keep it a game late despite Tulsa's hot shooting. The Owls took 24 trips to the free throw line, converting 19 times (79.2 percent), while Tulsa was just 10-of-17 (53.4 percent).
HOW IT HAPPENED
IN THE FIRST HALF…
Isaiah Barnes came out and knocked down back-to-back 3-point attempts before Keaston Willis connected on a floater as for the second game in a row Tulsa came out with a lot of energy and took an early 8-4 lead.
An 8-0 Temple Run that ended with a pair of free throws out of the first media timeout gave the Owls a 14-9 lead with 13:44 to play. Tulsa would not get the lead back in the opening half. Dwon Odom found Justin Amadi running the baseline for a layup to end the run.
Trailing 18-11, the Hurricane again connected on a pair of 3-pointers get to the Tulsa within one with 10:48 remaining in the half. Braeden Carrington found Tyshawn Archie for a catch and shoot triple for the first make. On the next TU possession, Ian Smikle rebounded a miss and, as he was falling out of bounds, threw it up top to Carrington, who delivered.
An Archie layup with 9:38 left in the half helped TU get back within one, 20-19, but would be the last TU field goal for more than five minutes. During the stretch, Tulsa went 0-6 with a pair of turnovers and the only points came on a pair of Jared Garcia free throws. The Owls didn't share Tulsa's struggles, scoring 12 points to take a 32-23 lead before an Odom jumper snapped the Hurricane out of the drought with 4:27 to play.
In the final 3:08 of the opening stanza, Tulsa outscored the Owls 10-2 to cut a 10-point deficit down to one, 35-34 at the half. Willis got things started with a jumper, and then consecutive layups from Ian Smikle cut the lead to three. Odom sandwiched a Temple layup with a layup of his own and a baseline jumper that beat the halftime buzzer.
The Hurricane shot 39.4 percent in the opening half and 33.3 percent from 3-point range. Odom and Barnes led the way for the Hurricane with seven and six points, respectively. Temple was held without a 3-pointer in the opening half, just the second time this season TU has held an opponent without a triple in a half.
IN THE SECOND HALF …
The hosts scored on their first six possessions to open the second half, as the Owls' lead blossomed back to nine, 49-40, forcing a Tulsa timeout at the 16:54 mark.
Temple's lead remained nine, 61-52, with 9:50 to play when Tulsa flipped the game with a 13-0 run over the next 3:42 as the Hurricane took a suddenly led 65-61. A Garcia hook shot got the run going. After an Odom jumper, Barnes and Odom went back-to-back with spectacular dunks in traffic to get the Hurricane within one. From there Tulsa turned the defensive pressure up even more as Odom recorded a steal and found Willis for a layup and the lead. After another stop, Odom found Willis again, this time for three to cap the run.
The Owls weren't done, responding with six straight, including an emphatic 3-pointer, to retake the lead 67-65, showing why they have been untouchable at home this season.
Willis answered back with another 3-pointer to give Tulsa the lead back. A minute later, he'd put Tulsa up 73-68 with 2:27 to play. After a stop, Odom split a pair of free throws to give the Hurricane a six-point lead, its largest of the night.
Tulsa was called for a foul on a Temple 3-pointer, and Steve Settle converted all three to halve the TU lead. Carrington drew a foul of his own on the other end after breaking a Temple press and made one of two to push the lead back to four. Quante Berry knocked down his second triple of the game and the TU lead was just one, 75-74, with a minute remaining.
Odom came through with the big shot of the night for Tulsa. He received a pass on the left side of the court and dribbled toward The American logo inside the 3-point arc before switching to his right, beating his defender to the left elbow and pulling up with a one-handed leaning jumper that fell for the 77-74 lead.
Willis would knock down a pair of free throws and Odom would add a third as Tulsa closed out the 80-74 win.
The Hurricane shot 72 percent in the second half, the best in percentage in any half this season. Tulsa also hit 44.4 percent of its 3-pointers, knocking down four. Willis was 3-of-4 in the half and Carrington knocked down one.
Willis scored 15 of his points in the second half, while Odom added nine to go with seven assists. Barnes scored eight. Tulsa dominated the paint in the second stanza, outscoring the Owls 24-10.
GAME NOTES
• Tulsa improves to 13-8 against Temple all-time
• TU moves to 6-6 in Philadelphia and 5-6 in the Liacouras Center, having won two in a row in the building.
• Temple was 10-0 in the Liacouras Center this season heading into tonight's game.
• The most recent loss in the building for Temple was Tulsa last season, 72-67.
• This was Tulsa's second time to win after trailing at the half … TU is 2-11 this season in such games.
• The 72 percent Tulsa shot in the second half was the most in a single half this year, beating the 62.9 percent (22-of-35) in the opening half against Southwestern Christian.
• Keaston Willis scored in double figures for the 16th time this season and 102nd in his career.
• Dwon Odom scored in double figures for the 21st time this season and 73rd in his career.
• This was Odom's fifth double-double of the season and third with points and assists … it is his fourth double-digit assist game of the season.
• Isaiah Barnes scored in double figures for the ninth time this season and 22nd of his career.
• Ian Smikle scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and in his career.
• Keaston Willis has 73 made 3-pointers this season and 373 for his career, ranking him 51st all-time in the NCAA.
• Odom leads the American in assists with 132 this season.
The Golden Hurricane returns to the Donald W. Reynold Center to play in the latter half of a Saturday Tulsa basketball doubleheader. TU hosts UTSA in a nationally televised game at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.
Team Stats
Tulsa
Temple
FG%
.534
.424
3FG%
.381
.294
FT%
.588
.792
RB
33
35
TO
8
8
STL
6
6
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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