TULSA – Home standing Tulsa converted its last 10 free throw attempts and four of its last five field goals to steal a 73-72 decision from visiting Missouri State here Saturday in non-conference play.
P.J. Haggerty posted a game-high 24 points, including the last seven for Tulsa, to lead four players in double figures for the Golden Hurricane (6-3).
Missouri State, which out-rebounded Tulsa by 21, was led by 17 points from Chance Moore and 13 apiece from Donovan Clay and Alston Mason.
The Bears (7-4) led by as many as 10 in the second half and got a pull-up jumper from Alston Mason with 4:04 remaining to give the visitors a 69-61 advantage. Isaiah Barnes responded with a triple for Tulsa to make it a five-point game, then Cobe Williams drew TU within three on a pair of free throws near the two-minute mark.
But Mason answered the bell for the Bears with a three from the right side that made it 72-66 with 1:42 to play. The clutch shot sucked the air out of the Reynolds Center crowd of just over 3,500, but those would be the last points the Bears would score.
Tulsa ended the contest on a decisive 7-0 run – all by Haggerty — including a game-winning three-point play with 2.9 seconds to go on the heels of a missed free throw by Mason moments earlier.
The Bears converted just one of their last six field goal attempts down the stretch and missed three straight free throws in the final minute. Still, the Bears held a 72-70 lead after Mason missed the front end of a one-and-one with seven seconds remaining. Carious Williams snagged the defensive rebound for Tulsa and fed the ball to Haggerty who drew a foul on Damien Mayo Jr. in the process of tying the game. He made the ensuing free throw, and Mason’s half-court desperation shot at the horn caromed off the rim to seal the dagger-like ending.
Missouri State finished the game 30-of-73 (.411) overall from the field, 8-of-27 (.296) from long range and 4-of-8 (.500) in limited free throw opportunities. The Bears managed 40 points in the paint and 14 second-chance points on 18 offensive rebounds, including six from N.J. Benson who snagged a game-high 10 caroms.
MSU out-rebounded Tulsa, 47-26, the best rebound margin for the Bears since their win over Missouri S&T last November.
Tulsa was 25-of-52 (.481) overall from the field, 5-of-17 (.294) from long range and 18-of-22 (.818) at the line, including 12-of-15 in the second half.
In the first half, the Bears used a 15-5 run over a key three-minute stretch to turn a five-point deficit into a five-point lead. A pair of threes by Moore and another one by Mason led the surge and put the Bears up 36-31 with just under two minutes left in the opening half. Tulsa, which shot 48 percent in the opening 20 minutes, ended the period on a 5-1 run to make it a 37-36 contest at the midway point.
The Bears return home on Tuesday to square off with the state’s newest Division I foe in Lindenwood. Game time is 7 p.m. at Great Southern Bank Arena.
