Golden Hurricane breaks hearts on Valentine’s

Business manager Adam Porterie says basketball is in a committed relationship with winning.
The University of Tulsa women’s basketball team gave us the gift of winning with a thrilling victory against the University of San Antonio Roadrunners on Valentine’s Day. The team overcame a 13-point deficit with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter due to its players’ dedication to one another. It went on a 21-4 run to close out the game with a final score of 74-70.
“I can’t say enough about this team’s heart,” said Tulsa Head Coach Angie Nelp. “I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s unbelievable what they do and the amount of fight that they have. What propels this team and drives them forward was that there wasn’t a single moment in that game where anybody doubted that we were going to win. When you have that type of belief in each other and have that confidence in each other, they’re going to do it.”
The Golden Hurricane played a close first quarter, giving up only three points in the first few minutes. The offense got started with an assist from senior guard Katia Gallegos, who came back from injury and dropped dimes left and right. UTSA found itself at the free throw line often and shot a consistent 88%. The quarter continued to be a back-and-forth affair as TU dominated the free throw line. It ended with a three point lead, the score at 22-19.
The second quarter saw Tulsa’s defense turn up the heat and record four steals while forcing seven total turnovers. Elise Hill led the defense in steals for the quarter which the team converted into nine points. The Roadrunners refused to back down and kept the effort high as it recorded five offensive rebounds leading to four second-chance points and 12 points in the paint. At the half, the Golden Hurricane was leading by four points and junior guard Delanie Crawford led the game in scoring after she made two three-pointers to lead Tulsa to a 38-34 lead.
UTSA came out after the half and scored a quick six points to give itself the lead behind another great effort on the offensive boards. The Golden Hurricane responded by moving the ball well and composing itself as the quarter progressed. Turnovers decided the quarter as some questionable calls from the refs and poor performance beyond the arc left TU down four points heading into the fourth quarter (51-55).
The Roadrunners were looking to spoil the night and raced out to a 13-point lead within the first three minutes of the quarter. The Golden Hurricane refused to be quelled as American Athletic Conference first-team forward Temira Poindexter sank a three to spark a massive comeback. The Golden Hurricane raged throughout the fourth quarter, swallowing up any offensive effort from the roadrunners and holding them to four points in the last five minutes of the game. The Reynolds Center was rocking as a series of turnovers and fouls evaporated UTSA’s lead. Gallegos scored the final points in the game as the impact of her return was immediately felt as she led the team’s plus-minus category while also leading the team in assists off the bench.
The Valentine’s Day heroics were fittingly sequenced with the team’s red colorway as it soared through the American Athletic Conference and improved to 18-7. Based on its current performance, the Golden Hurricane is well poised to raise some alarms in the upcoming March Madness tournament. Tune in for its next home game on Wednesday, Feb. 21, as it takes on UAB in what is sure to be another hard-fought conference matchup.