Tulsa tops Ryerson in Toronto

TORONTO – The University of Tulsa basketball team outscored Ryerson University 22-14 in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Rams and take a 79-55 victory Thursday evening at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in the second game of its Canada summer exhibition tour.

Junior guard Pat Swilling, Jr. led the Golden Hurricane with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and knocked down a pair of three-pointers. Sophomore forward Rashad Smith added 11 points and a team-high six rebounds, and freshman forward Zeldric King added 10 points and five boards. Freshman guard Shaquille Harrison dished five assists.

“I think tonight was a little bit more of a test for us,” Tulsa Head Coach Danny Manning said. “This was kind of a special occasion for Ryerson. They opened up their gym, this was the first game of the year, and they had lively crowd. We came out and let them get comfortable early. They knocked in a three on us and got a little momentum. We were able to battle back and impose our will just a little bit. Not as much as we would like as a staff, but we did some good things. I’m pleased that we won, but we have a lot of work to do.”

Tulsa shot 44 percent from the field (28-of-64) including 50 percent in the second half. The Hurricane also made 3-of-4 three-pointers in the second half and shot 39 percent from beyond the arc for the game. The Hurricane passed 18 assists against 12 turnovers.

The TU defense once again tallied double-digit steals with 10 thefts, and forced 17 turnovers by the Rams. Tulsa held Ryerson to 23 percent shooting from the field, and the teams matched rebounds with 32 apiece.

“We have to do a better job on the glass, because the rebounding was even. We have to outrebound teams to have any success,” Manning said. “We played pretty good first-shot defense, but we just didn’t go secure the ball on those second-chance opportunities they got on us. It’s a win, and tomorrow we’ll go over this and get ready for our next game.”

Tulsa held a 17-13 lead after one quarter, but began the second period with a 9-2 run that extended the lead to 26-15. Ryerson got as close as six points at 26-20 with 4:26 left in the half, but another mini run gave the Hurricane a 34-23 advantage at halftime.

The Golden Hurricane extended it lead to 18 points with a 16-9 run in the first 5:20 of the third quarter. Although the Rams closed the lead to 12 points, TU pushed the advantage back to 16 points by the end of the period, leading 57-41 heading into the fourth quarter.

TU used an 8-3 spurt to grow its lead to 21 points, 65-44, with 6:19 left in the game. The Hurricane lead peaked at 25 points, 77-52, with 1:39 remaining, and Tulsa cruised to the 24-point, 79-55 victory.

“It was a little more adversity, having to go on the road and find our own energy, knowing that it’s only the guys in the same colored uniform as you, and the coaches and the staff that are cheering for you,” said Manning. “It’s always good to go on the road and get a road win. This is basically a road win for us. Although it doesn’t count, getting just a little bit of experience, and hopefully that will help us out down the road.”

Story courtesy of TU media relations.