GAME DAY: TU Set To Host Northern Arizona

<p>The Tulsa men's basketball team concludes non-conference play Tuesday when it plays host to Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. at the Reynolds Center.</p>

Tuesday, December 22nd 2015, 4:36 pm

By: News On 6


The Tulsa men's basketball team concludes non-conference play Tuesday when it plays host to Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
 
The Golden Hurricane (7-4), which has won two of its last three games, looks to close out the pre-conference slate on a high note. The Lumberjacks (2-8) have dropped five in a row. After a break for the Christmas holiday, Tulsa opens American Athletic Conference play at home against SMU on Dec. 29.
 
The game will be broadcast on Big Country 99.5 FM and the Golden Hurricane Radio Network, and televised on ESPN3.

The Series
This will be the third meeting between Tulsa and Northern Arizona. Tulsa leads the series, 2-0. The Golden Hurricane defeated the Lumberjacks, 79-64, on Feb. 19, 2005 in Tulsa, and then won 63-58 the next season on Dec. 6, 2005 in Flagstaff, Ariz.
 
About Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona averages 68.3 points and 35.4 rebounds per game, as well as a .384 field goal and .338 3-point percentage, while allowing 81.2 ppg, 42.2 rpg, a .456 field goal and a .351 3-point percentage. Kris Yanku leads the Lumberjacks with 13.7 points and 4.2 assists per game, while Ako Kaluna averages 10.7 points and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game. Jaleni Neely and Torry Johnson add 10.6 and 9.9 points per outing, respectively.
 
Tulsa Statistical Leaders
Shaquille Harrison leads the Golden Hurricane with 18.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. James Woodard averages 16.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.7 3-pointers per game. Pat Birtand Marquel Curtis average 8.9 and 8.5 points off the bench, respectively, and Curtis adds 2.5 assists per contest. Tulsa averages 75.6 ppg, 35.2 rpg, a .447 field goal percentage, .339 3-point pct. and a .683 free throw pct. The Hurricane allows opponents 71.5 ppg, 35.3 rpg, a .416 field goal pct. and a .365 3-point pct.
 
Quick Hits
• This will be Tulsa's first home game since Dec. 8 – a span of 14 days. TU played two games away from home during that time, and took time off for semester final exams.
• Tulsa fell to Oregon State, 76-71, Saturday in Portland, Ore., at the Far West Classic Invitational.Rashad Smith scored 20 points to lead TU, while James Woodard tallied 11 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Shaquille Harrison put up 12 points and eight rebounds.
• Tulsa's four losses have been to teams with a combined 36-7 record. TU has lost four games by an average of 4.8 points. The Hurricane strength of schedule is ranked No. 44 in the nation.
• Through 11 games this season, Tulsa has a 1.1 assist/turnover ratio. TU has totaled 143 assists to 126 turnovers. In 2014-15 through 11 games, the Hurricane had 120 assists-144 turnovers–0.8 ratio.
• Tulsa is 3-2 at home this season.
•  Harrison ranks third in the NCAA in getting to the free throw line. He has 110 attempts (10.0 per game), and ranks 12th in made free throws (68). Harrison also ranks 72nd in the nation in scoring (18.2 ppg) and 48th in steals (2.1 spg).
•  The Tulsa bench averages 25.1 points per game, and has accounted for 33 percent of the team's total points this season. The Hurricane is led by Pat Birt (8.9) and Marquel Curtis (8.5 ppg) off the bench. Brandon Swannegan contributes 5.4 points per game off the bench.
•  Woodard ranks sixth in TU career scoring with 1,584 points, and sixth with 214 career 3-pointers. He needs 26 points to match Gary Collier (1990-94) for fifth place.
•  Harrison ranks fourth at TU with 207 career steals, and fifth with 358 career assists. He needs 15 steals to match Shea Seals (1993-97) for fourth place.
•  Brandon Swannegan has 128 career blocks, ranking fifth in TU history. He needs eight blocks to match Eric Coley (1996-00) for fourth place.
•  Harrison is on the 2016 Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Early Season Watch List, from the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
•  Harrison has been nominated for the Allstate NABC Good Works Team, which recognizes players at all levels of college basketball who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement.
•  TU nabbed the first two American Athletic Conference Player of the Week awards of the season. Woodard won the award on Nov. 16, and Harrison received the honor on Nov. 23.
•  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.

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