TU:Best Start

Monday, January 24th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Tulsa once again put up big numbers â€“ this time on defense. The No. 13 Golden Hurricane had 13 steals, 12 blocks and forced 25 turnovers in beating Centenary 84-44 Monday night for its best start in school history. Letting up simply isn't in coach Bill Self's vocabulary, his players said. "You let up, you're coming out," David Shelton said. "Defense is the only focus of this team. There is no other focus." Shelton scored 18 points for Tulsa (19-1, 4-0 Western Athletic Conference). Tony Heard had 12 points, all on 3-pointers. Centenary (7-12) shot only 27.9 percent against a team enjoying its highest national ranking since February 1985, when it was 12th. Centenary's leading scorer, Ronnie McCollum, who had averaged 24.4 points per game, led the Gents with 17. "From the beginning of the game, coach made us keep in mind that you can't take anyone lightly," Heard said. Tulsa sank five 3-pointers in the first five minutes to quickly outdistance the Gents with a 17-1 run. Centenary's first field goal didn't come until 61/2 minutes into the game and the Gents managed only one more over the next seven minutes. The Golden Hurricane didn't let up after building a 26-point halftime lead. Self said the win means nothing unless his team continues to do well. "We've got our work cut out this week," he said, as Tulsa plays at UTEP and Fresno State. "The schedule really begins this week." No Tulsa basketball team had ever won 19 of its first 20 games. Tulsa beat the old record set in 1921 when the team went 18-1before losing its final game. With the victory, the Golden Hurricane extended its winning streak to 12 games, two shy of matching the school record set by Nolan Richardson's squad 15 years ago. Tulsa had averaged 83 points and outscored opponents by 20 points in 11 previous games. Its streak includes five wins at home, four on the road and three in neutral sites, including an 88-68 victory over 11th-ranked Tennessee. Tulsa's only loss came to crosstown rival Oral Roberts. Centenary coach Kevin Johnson said Tulsa's defensive play is the reason for the Golden Hurricane's 19-1 record, something he isn't looking to face again anytime soon. "We're not a Top 25-caliber team and we're playing one," he said.