Second Half Rally Propels Tulsa Past Temple

Shaquille Harrison scored 24 points, including 19 in the second half, to help Tulsa overcome an 11-point deficit and defeat Temple, 63-56, Saturday afternoon at the Liacouras Center.

Tulsa improved its record to 10-5 overall and 3-0 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Owls fell to 12-5 and 3-1. The Golden Hurricane used a 19-1 run in the second half to come from 11 points down to a seven-point lead on its way to the victory. James Woodard scored 13 points, including seven in a row to spark that run and pull the Hurricane within a point of Temple.

Temple led 46-35 with 11:34 to play after a Jaylen Bond 3-pointer. Rashad Ray made a free throw, followed by a layup from Harrison to make the score 46-38. Woodard then connected on a 3-pointer while falling to the ground, and made the ensuing foul shot to convert the four-point play. He followed it with a steal and a three to cut the deficit to 46-45 at the 8:49 mark.

A D'Andre Wright layup with 7:22 to play gave Tulsa the 47-46 lead. It was the first Hurricane lead since 6-4 with 11:44 remaining in the first half. Temple tied the score at 47-47 on a free throw by Quenton DeCosey, and neither team scored for the next two minutes. Harrison made consecutive layups, followed by three free throws over the span of 1:22 to put the Hurricane ahead, 54-47.

During Tulsa's 19-1 run, the Hurricane defense held Temple without a field goal for a stretch of 8:26, from the 11:34 mark until 3:08 remained on the game clock.

Temple only got as close as three points for the remainder of the game. A basket by Josh Brown made the score 54-49, but Harrison responded with a layup to bring the lead back to seven points with 2:30 remaining. The teams alternated scores until Brown made two free throws to cut the lead to 59-56 with 0:26 left. Ray and Rashad Smith then each made a free throw, and Wright converted two foul shots with 0:10 remaining to reach the final, 63-56.

Tulsa shot 56 percent (14-25) and scored 46 points in the second half after making just four field goals and 17 points in the first period, and shot 36 percent for the game. The Hurricane went 23-for-28 from the foul line, outrebounded Temple, 42-40, and forced the Owls into 16 turnovers. Tulsa held Temple to 31 percent from the field, and tallied nine steals.

Rashad Ray and Rashad Smith each tallied seven points, and Smith led the Hurricane with nine boards. Jaylen Bond and DeCosey led Temple with 16 and 12 points, respectively.

Temple took a 23-17 just before the break to close out a low-scoring first half. Tulsa led 6-4 at the 11:44 mark, but Temple scored six straight to take a 10-6 lead with 8:24 remaining. The Hurricane trailed 16-15 with 3:32 left in the period, but the Owls closed the half on a 7-0 run.

The Owls extended that run to 11-0 as it began the second half with four straight points, moving ahead 27-17. Tulsa did not get closer than eight points until Woodard's four-point play with 9:04 remaining in the game.

The Golden Hurricane returns home to the Donald W. Reynolds Center Tuesday when it plays host to UConn at 8:30 p.m.