TULSA, Okla. – SWOSU used a 19-8 run to open the second half and get within three points of Tulsa before the Golden Hurricane of the American Athletic Conference outlasted the Bulldogs 74-50 in exhibition action at the Reynolds Center on Saturday afternoon.
The length of Tulsa bothered the Bulldogs in the first half as they converted on just 6-of-27 (22.2%) field goal attempts in the opening 20 minutes. SWOSU did connect on 8-of-10 free throws, however, to keep their halftime deficit to just 14 at 34-20.
The offense came to life early in the second half as
Martell Collins knocked down several big baskets, including a pull up 3-pointer that got the Bulldogs within three at 42-39 with 12:52 to play. The Golden Hurricane answered and would not let SWOSU get any closer, outscoring the Bulldogs 32-11 to rest of the way en route to the victory.
Collins led the Bulldogs with 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting while
Ayo Ojo added nine and
Trent Washington finished with seven points.
Keyshawn Perkins and
Emeche Wells both added six points for SWOSU, who finished the game 16-of-55 (29.1%) from the field but connected on just 3-of-14 (21.4%) from 3-point range.
SWOSU outrebounded the Golden Hurricane 47-43 with six apiece from Collins, Ojo, Wells and Perkins, but they committed 17 turnovers compared to just four from Tulsa.
"After struggling to get in sync in the first half, I felt like we settled down and began to make some shots in the second half," SWOSU Coach
Bob Battisti said following the game. "The effort was there and we outrebounded a pretty good team so that's encouraging. We did turn the ball over too much by putting ourselves in some bad spots but I like our energy and effort and we can correct our mistakes."
The Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday for their final exhibition game of the season, at the University of Oklahoma, with a 7:00 pm tip off scheduled in McCasland Field House.
