Golden Hurricanes end on 20-3 run
On Wednesday, Jan. 28th, the Golden Hurricane’s men’s basketball team took on the North Texas Mean Green. With a lot on the line for conference ranking, the two battled it out before Tulsa finally came out on top, winning 82-66. Although Tulsa has historically dominated North Texas at home, the Mean Green had been on a four-game win streak against Tulsa, including a close 72-67 win over Tulsa in Denton, Texas, making that Tulsa’s first conference loss of the season. Since then, however, Tulsa has gone on a four-game win streak and came into the game on Wednesday night positioned to be tied for the best conference record as long as they won.
The game was intense. With so much at stake in conference play it was bound to be, but it was very clear early on that physicality was set to dominate. In the first half alone there was a shoving match between David Green and a North Texas player, and a small altercation between the coaches as well. In the second half, David Terell Jr, #5 for the Mean Green, seemed to disrespect Tylen Riley of the Golden Hurricanes, prompting the other players to step up and defend their respective teammates.
Similarly, Buddy Hammer Jr. of the Mean Green aggressively swiped at Miles Barnstable at the very end of the game, prompting loud boos from the crowd. Even after the game, some Golden Hurricane players were seen trying to stop North Texas from getting back to their locker room, almost prompting a fight, but it was quickly broken up without anything happening.
As for the actual playing, the game went very similarly to Tulsa’s win the week before against Memphis. Coach Konkol praised his team after the game for going against “two of the best defensive teams, not just in our league but two of the better teams in the country,” in Memphis and North Texas, and still getting the win in both. In the Memphis game, a Tyler Behrend layup started a 16-4 run in the last 7 minutes to secure the win. Against North Texas, Miles Barnstable made a layup which started a 20-3 run in the last six minutes.
Although what actually changed the momentum of the game was what happened after that layup. North Texas came down the court, Popoola came up with a huge block to get the crowd roaring, and then, with Behrend missing a layup, Miles Barnstable rose up to slam the ball back in.
From that point on, Tulsa seemed to feed off of the crowd, which only grew louder and louder as each bucket went in. Coach Konkol, as well as standout player, Tylen Riley, who scored 20 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, both emphasized the fans as being instrumental in building the energy that has led this team to such dominant wins in their last two home games.
Tensions were heating up during Wednesday’s game as the Golden Hurricane defended their conference record. Courtesy of TU Athletic Communications
With a five game winning streak, the Golden Hurricanes stay in Tulsa to face off against longstanding rivals Wichita State, who are currently tied for fifth in the conference, on Sunday. Then, they travel to Florida to face off against the conference’s current fourth place team, Florida Atlantic. Tulsa currently sits at the top of the American conference, tied for first in conference record while having a four-win better overall record than the rest of the conference. With a tough February ahead, Tulsa will hope to continue dominating conference play and succeed in the American conference championship, with a possible March Madness bid as their reward if they do so.
