Tulsa appears ready for season after another exhibition win
If fans like teams that shoot the ball well and score points, Saturday afternoon at the Reynolds Center was the place to be.
Tulsa showered visiting Missouri S&T with three-pointers, fast breaks and jumpers on the way to doubling their opponent’s scoring output in a 113-56 victory in front of approximately 1,000 fans in the exhibition season finale.
Corey Henderson scored 21 points, including 6-of-9 on three-pointers, and Curran Scott and Geno Artison scored 16 points apiece to lead the Golden Hurricane. Scott made 5-of-7 shots, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and Artison made 6-of-10 shots, including 4-of-5 three-pointers.
“Corey Henderson had the mindset that we want him to have,” said TU coach Frank Haith of the 6-foot-4 senior shooting guard, who he wants to be more assertive this year after averaging 8.7 points per game last season.
The game was never remotely close, as Tulsa led by double digits less than four minutes into the contest, and held a 61-29 halftime margin over the school formerly called Missouri-Rolla.
The Golden Hurricane made a whopping 20-of-34 three-pointers (58.8 percent), including 11-of-19 in the first half. They made 41-of-67 shots from the field (61.2 percent).
“I like where we’re at in terms of sharing the ball,” Haith said of TU having 25 assists and only 12 turnovers. “We’re going to play tougher teams, more athletic teams, but Missouri S&T, looking at tape, was more talented than the team we played the other night (Northwestern Oklahoma State).”
Tulsa used the same starting lineup and substitution patterns it used in its 96-65 win in its first exhibition game. The starters were Junior Etou, DaQuan Jeffries, Curran Scott, Jaleel Wheeler and Sterling Taplin. Henderson, Martins Igbanu and Elijah Joiner were the first subs, coming in three minutes into the game. Artison and Darien Jackson entered a minute later. Lawson Korita played two minutes in the first half.
Joiner’s 29 minutes were the most of any TU players. Although he wasn’t hot from the field, making 2-of-6 shots for six points, the 6-3 freshman point guard had teams highs of 11 rebounds and seven assists against two turnovers.
Most of the starters didn’t play much in the second half. Etou scored all 12 of his points in the first half, playing only five minutes in the second half. Jeffries scored all 10 points in the first half as well, playing only four minutes in the second half.
Artison scored seven of his 16 points in the first half and really got hot late in the second half. Haith was especially pleased with the play of the 6-9 junior.
“Geno Artison obviously scored points, but he did some other good things,” Haith said. “He ran the floor. I think Geno is finally healthy. He had a serious Achilles injury. And then he got hurt with his hip last year. I think he’s finally coming around. He’s finally 100 percent. It was good to see him play well.”
Tulsa has averaged 104.5 points per game in its two exhibition games. Although they were just exhibition match-ups, Tulsa looks like it will be playing a more up-tempo style of game this year with a small lineup. Tulsa averaged only 67.4 points per game last season.
Haith was very happy with the way his team played.
“I look at the totality of what we’re trying to create from an identity standpoint and who we are as a basketball team as far as creating habits,” Haith said. “I saw a lot of good habits out there today. Good shot, great shot mentality. When you’re getting 25 assists, that’s sharing the ball, that’s being unselfish. You’re going to get a lot of good shots when you play with that mentality.
“I like how when we got the lead, we stayed true to not junking the game. And you see that, some teams that they do stuff that they get out of character, and our guys didn’t. I was real pleased and encouraged that our guys stayed within ourselves and understood the big picture about getting better.”
The Hurricane begins the regular season at home against Lamar on November 10.