Tulsa comes up just short against Temple

Bryant Selebangue epitomized the never say die attitude Tulsa displayed against Temple. It was especially refreshing considering how the season has turned out so far.

Tulsa (4-11, 0-4 AAC) had plenty of chances to get blown out by Temple. But in the end, TU was a free throw away from having a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds.

Although the Golden Hurricane's 76-72 loss in front of an announced crowd of 3,053 at the Reynolds Center was disappointing, Selebangue feels like things are changing for the positive.

"We're getting closer," Selebangue said. "We can feel it with the team. We're getting closer game by game. We don't want to lose anymore."

Selebangue led all players with 19 points and 12 rebounds, connecting on 7 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 from the line. His free throws were encouraging, considering he had been shooting 49.1 percent from the charity stripe this season.

The fact that Temple (10-8, 4-1) went from dominating -- with a 45-25 lead with less than a minute left in the first half -- to trailing 47-45 around 5 minutes later was simply astonishing.

Tulsa's 22-0 run, in which Sam Griffin made 4 of 4 technical foul free throws in one setting, and capped it off with the game-leading 3-point jumper with 15:51 remaining, was a special moment for a team that has been searching all season.

During that 22-0 run, Temple had two of its players ejected for flagrant fouls to the head. Damian Dunn (12 points) with 15 seconds left in the first half, and Jahlil White (4 points) with 15:59 left in the half.

Losing Dunn (5 of 6 from the field, 2 of 2 on ft's, plus/minus plus 14) hurt Temple. Losing White (plus/minus ratio of minus 4), not so much.

Fortunately for Temple, the Owls held Griffin, who finished with 16 points, scoreless the rest of the contest after his 7 consecutive points to take TU's only lead of the game. Temple was able build its lead back up to 10 points with just under 6 minutes remaining.

Tulsa still trailed by 10 at 73-63 until Anthony Pritchard connected on a 3-pointer with 37.1 seconds left to cut the margin to 73-66. When Selebangue converted a field goal and the ensuing free throw after getting fouled with 23.3 seconds remaining, TU trailed by just 4 at 73-69.

Pritchard, who finished with 13 points, 4 assists and 4 steals, cut the margin to three at 75-72 with 15.3 seconds left on an and-one after being fouled.

When Temple's Nick Jordain missed the first of two ensuing free throws with 9.5 seconds remaining, there was hope of tying the game. But after he made the second of his free throws, Tulsa didn't score again, and it was over.

TU's defense was atrocious in the first half, but really picked up as the game went on. Temple was 9 of 19 on three-pointers (47.4 percent) in the first half, and 18 of 32 from the field (56.3 percent). Contrast that with 1 of 11 on threes (9.1 percent) and 8 of 27 (29.6 percent) in the second half.

"The first half there were moments when we were there but not really there," said Tulsa coach Eric Konkol of his team's defense. "We talk about being in somebody's bubble when you're kind of in their close personal space and you can feel it.

"We don't want to be in that moment all the time because the shooter can drive by you, but when a shooter catches the ball, we've got to be there."

Zach Hicks led Temple with 14 points, but all of those points were in a first half where he was 4 of 8 on three', and 5 of 9 from the field. Hicks barely got a shot off in the second half, missing both of his three-pointers in the second half on his only attempts.

"I didn't think we were there on Hicks to begin with," Konkol said. "Now he doesn't need much space. He's 6-foot-8, he shoots it high. That had a lot to do with our troubles."

Different second half strategy was a big help for the Golden Hurricane.

"We mixed it up, we went to full court pressure, we went to a 2-3 zone, we trapped a couple of times, just trying to change the game," Konkol said. "We're best trapping and doing full court pressure after free throws. Of course, we don't get to the free throw line enough, but we were able to do that a little bit at the end of the first half, and I think that changed the game."

Scoring the last six points of the first half gave Tulsa momentum going into the second half. If Tulsa had been able to rebound better, the game might have turned out different. Temple outrebounded TU 41-30, which included 10 offensive boards for the Owls in the second half.

"Rebounding really hurt us," Konkol said. "All those shots we made them miss in the second half, we just weren't able to get the rebounds."

Holding leading scorer Khalif Battle to 13 points on 3 of 14 three-pointers was impressive. Battle averaged 18.3 points coming into the game.

Selebangue's play continued to be Tulsa's most positive aspect. Thie 6-8 Selebangue is now shooting 67.5 percent from the field, and 80 percent in conference play. He averages 18.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in conference, and 12.9 points and 8.7 rebounds for the season.

Another positive for the game was the play of Sterling Gaston-Chapman, who in over 25 minutes of playing time had a plus/minus ratio of plus 22, registering 8 points and 6 rebounds. So in over 14 minutes without Gaston-Chapman, Tulsa was outscored by 26 points.

Konkol knows his team is a major work in progress, but sees the plus side of the team.

"I'm proud of our team for the resolve of coming back. We showed some potential," Konkol said. "There is the encouraging thing about that type of potential, but there's also the dangerous thing if you don't realize it."