Turnovers, boards doom TU
Kansas forces 22 giveaways, grabs 19 offensive rebounds
TULSA, OKLA. ? Two numbers on the final box score were as devastating to the Golden Hurricane as Hurricane Andrew.
Following Tulsa’s 89-80 loss to Kansas in raucous, standing-room-only Reynolds Center, TU coach John Phillips pointed to 22 turnovers by his players and 19 offensive rebounds by the Jayhawks.
“I don’t think we’ve had 22 turnovers for four years,” Phillips said. “They had 19 offensive boards, and that’s nine more than us. I think you can say that was a big difference in the game.”
Three of those offensive boards came on successive possessions in the late going, and they were back-breakers, effectively taking the crowd right out of the game.
“That was very frustrating to see that happen,” Tulsa’s Kevin Johnson said about that pivotal stretch. “Coach said there were a lot of 50-50 balls, and we’ve got to get more of those.”
Johnson led the Hurricane with 23 points, but played tenderly in the last 7:42 after picking up his fourth foul.
“That hurt me most on defense,” Johnson said, “but that’s no excuse.”
Tulsa scored 40 points in each half, but in this case consistency didn’t count because Kansas unloaded a 53-point second-half salvo after settling for 36 first-half points.
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“Their defense obviously had a lot to do with us not looking very well,” Phillips said. “In the second half, I don’t know other than to give Kansas credit. They pushed us out of everything we wanted to do.”
On paper, Tulsa’s three-point numbers look terrific. The Hurricane attempted 12 treys and hit eight. But they made their first six, then only two of their last six. Normally, too, Tulsa shoots about 18 or 19 per game.
“We began to stand around and they began to pressure the ball,” Phillips said, “and we had no movement away from the ball. Fatigue may have been part of it.”
Kansas showed no signs of second-half fatigue even though all five starters logged at least 30 minutes.
“They were just tougher than we were tonight,” Phillips said. “They were extremely hungry tonight.”
Phillips quickly interjected that his players were hungry, too.
“I don’t mean Kansas wanted the game more than we did,” the Hurricane coach said. “The second half was just their half and they won it.”
Tulsa couldn’t cope with KU post players Nick Collison and Wayne Simien, who combined for 45 points and 20 rebounds.
The 6-foot-9 Collison dented the Hurricane for 26 points and 12 boards, re-emphasizing his status as one of country’s top big men.
“Collison has been an All-American since he was in the ninth grade,” Phillips quipped, “and he played great tonight.”