TU Set To Face Ohio Friday In Virgin Islands Paradise Jam

The Tulsa men’s basketball team opens the 2015 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam against Ohio at noon CDT/2 p.m. ADT Friday at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center.

The Golden Hurricane arrived on the island Wednesday in preparation for the tournament, which runs Friday through Monday. This will be the third all-time meeting between Tulsa and Ohio. The winner of Friday’s contest will play at 5:30 p.m. CT Sunday, while the losing team will play at 3 p.m. CT Saturday.

The game will be broadcast on Big Country 99.5 FM and the Golden Hurricane Radio Network, and a live stream will be available on www.ParadiseJam.com.

In its last game, Tulsa defeated No. 9 Wichita State, 77-67, at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Ohio has wins this season over Florida Gulf Coast (85-75) and Tennessee State (75-67).

TULSA (2-0) vs. OHIO (2-0)

Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 • 12:00 p.m. CT • UVI Sports & Fitness Center (2,500)

TV: ParadiseJam.com live stream

Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM and the Golden Hurricane Radio Network (Tom Ackerman and J.R. Rollo)

Internet: Live Audio on Hurricane Vision

Live Stats: www.TulsaHurricane.com

Twitter: @TUMBasketball | @TulsaHurricane

Instagram: TulsaMBasketball

The Coaches

Tulsa: Frank Haith (Elon ’88)

Career Record: 230-140 (12th year)

Record at Tulsa: 25-11 (second year)

Ohio: Saul Phillips (Wisconsin-Platteville, ’96)

Career Record: 146-104 (ninth year)    

Record at OU: 12-20 (second year)

The Series

This is the second meeting between Tulsa and Ohio. The series is tied, 1-1. Each team won on its home court. Ohio won 75-63 on Dec. 3, 2008 in Athens, Ohio. The Golden Hurricane won 81-80 on Dec. 6, 2009 in Tulsa.

How to Watch

Tulsa's game against Ohio will be streamed live on ParadiseJam.com and Youtube.com/tgvntv. Should Tulsa win Friday, its games on Sunday and Monday will be televised on CBS Sports Network. With a loss, the next two games will be streamed on ParadiseJam.com. All non-televised games will be live streamed on ParadiseJam.com.

Quick Hits

•  After two home games to open the season, Tulsa is playing outside of its home arena for the first time in 2015-16.

•  In its last game, Tulsa defeated No. 9 Wichita State, 77-67 – its first win over a ranked opponent since 2003, and its first win over a top-10 ranked opponent since 2000.

•  Shaquille Harrison led the Hurricane with 20 points, and Marquel Curtis tallied 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Pat Birt put up 14 points and six rebounds, and James Woodard added 13 points and four boards.

•  Tulsa is 2-0 to start a season for the first time since 2012-13.

•  Tulsa is playing this season with nine seniors – the most seniors on one roster in the country.

•  The Hurricane returned 97 percent of its scoring and 98 percent of its minutes to the team in 2015-16 – one of only five schools in the country to return at least 90 percent of its scoring and minutes this year.

•  The Golden Hurricane is in its second season as a member of the American Athletic Conference.

•  Tulsa is in its second year season under the direction of head coach Frank Haith. In his first season, the Hurricane posted a 23-11 overall record and a 14-4 conference record. TU finished second in the American Athletic Conference regular season, played in the semifinals of the conference tournament, and reached the second round of the postseason NIT.

•  Senior guard Shaquille Harrison scored his 1,000th career point in the season opener against Central Arkansas. He is Tulsa’s 37th 1,000-point scorer, and now has 1,020 points in his career. He joins teammate James Woodard, who reached the milestone last season, in the 1,000-point club. Harrison and Woodard are the first pair of active TU teammates with 1,000 career points since Jerome Jordan and Ben Uzoh in the 2009-10 season.

•  Woodard ranks tied for 11th in TU career scoring with 1,440 points, and sixth with 190 career 3-pointers.

•  Harrison ranks fifth at TU in career steals with 188 steals, and eighth with 331 career assists.

•  Brandon Swannegan has 122 career blocks, ranking fifth in TU career history.