Rachal’s late free throws lift Tulsa past No. 5 Houston

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Frank Haith has coached various groups to some substantial wins over the decades, and he desired absolutely everyone to know how a lot Tulsa’s gritty general performance from unbeaten No. five Houston meant to his group.

”This one was special,” Haith mentioned of Tulsa’s 65-sixty four acquire on Tuesday night. ”Houston is one of the most effective groups in the country. I hope absolutely everyone understands that.”

Tulsa necessary a previous 2nd dash to the basket by senior all-meeting forward Brandon Rachal, who was fouled with one tenth of a 2nd remaining and created both of those cost-free throws to upend the Cougars.

The victory lifted Tulsa to 2-1 in the American Meeting, five-3 in general. Houston (2-1, seven-1) experienced won its to start with seven video games handily, the closest being a 9-place victory over UCF.

It was the to start with victory over a leading-five group for Tulsa given that profitable at UCLA in 1996.

Rachal led Tulsa with 22 points and seven rebounds.

Soon after Caleb Mills created a seven-foot floater with 6 seconds left to give Houston its to start with lead in the final 13 minutes of the game, Rachal took a go, drove the size of the court docket and was fouled by center Brison Gresham at the rim a portion of a 2nd in advance of time expired.

Rachal went to the line and calmly created both of those cost-free throws.

”There was no strain,” Rachal mentioned. ”I mentioned to myself, you’ve got created each cost-free toss tonight, just do it the same way. You shoot cost-free throws each day, just knock it down. The 2nd one felt a minor brief, I’m not gonna lie, but when I saw how it bounced and went over I realized it was likely to drop.”

Tulsa entered the game capturing fifty eight.2% on cost-free throws and created eighteen of 22 to hold off the Cougars.

”We just saved putting them on the line and they saved making them,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson mentioned. ”These young ones are human beings. They are not likely to be fantastic each night and not likely to acquire each game. It felt like we had been battling uphill all night.”

Forward by one at halftime, Tulsa created a 6-place edge various occasions in the 2nd fifty percent, but the Cougars in no way missing touch, tying the game at 62-all on an offensive rebound by Marcus Sasser. Rey Idowu created one of two cost-free throws to give Tulsa a 63-62 lead in advance of Mills place the Cougars in advance.

Quentin Grimes led Houston with 19 points and seven rebounds. Sasser experienced 14 points and Mills eleven for Houston.

Tulsa clawed back again from an early fifteen-seven deficit, tying the game at fifteen on consecutive 3-tips by Curtis Haywood, who entered capturing 20% from prolonged array. Houston pushed its lead back again to 5 points, but one more 3-pointer by Haywood pulled Tulsa inside 24-22.

Tulsa took its to start with lead at 27-26 on a 3-pointer from one more not likely source, Darrien Jackson, whose shot from the left corner was his to start with 3 of the time on 4 tries. A travel by Elijah Joiner bounced 4 occasions on the rim in advance of dropping as time expired, giving TU a 31-thirty lead at the split.

The Cougars lead the American Meeting in rebounding margin, turnover margin and steals.

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Tulsa has consistently outperformed its preseason prognostications in the American, tying for to start with a calendar year ago just after being picked ninth. The Hurricane’s gritty general performance from Houston shows TU may be able to greater its sixth-put prediction for this time.

Houston shot just 35% from the field, together with 19% on 3-tips (4 of 21) and had been unable to overwhelm Tulsa with their physicality, as they have most opponents. They outrebounded Tulsa 38-35.

A DAGGER

Rachal did most of his problems within on drives and offensive rebounds, but his step back again 3-pointer as the shot clock expired that gave Tulsa a sixty-54 edge with five:12 left was substantial for the Hurricane.

UP Up coming

Houston concludes its three-game street journey at Southern Methodist on Sunday.

Tulsa embarks on a two-game meeting street journey at Cincinnati on Saturday, adopted by a game at UCF on Wednesday.

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