TULSA, Okla. — Junior Melvin Johnson III scored 17 points, but it was not enough to overcome a hot shooting night for Tulsa in a 92-67 setback on Thursday night at the Reynolds Center.
The Golden Hurricane shot 51.7 percent from the field, including 13-of-25 from behind the 3-point line, and improved to 6-6 on the season in winning the first meeting with the Roadrunners (6-4), who had won four consecutive games against Conference USA opponents since 1999.
Justin Hurtt poured in 33 points behind a 6-for-10 night from downtown, while Steven Idlet added 20 for Tulsa. Scottie Haralson also drained a ha;f dozen threes en route to an 18-point outing and D.J. Magley pitched in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Johnson III was joined in double figures by senior Devin Gibson, who posted 13 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Gibson also extended his consecutive made free throws streak to 18 with a 6-for-6 night at the line. Johnson III’s performance helped UTSA get 31 points from its bench, the fourth time it has topped 30 points this season.
Tulsa was red hot from the field in the first half and it built a 47-31 lead at the break. The Golden Hurricane shot 58.1 percent, including 8-of-13 (61.6%) from downtown. Haralson made 5-of-7 from beyond the arc en route to 15 first-half points.
Tulsa scored the first nine points of the contest, but UTSA stormed right back with nine unanswered of its own to knot the score. The Golden Hurricane responded with a 10-0 run and eventually took a 21-11 lead on a Hurtt jumper at the 12:18 mark.
Gibson made a pair of free throws and knocked down a jumper to pull UTSA to within six at 21-15, but Haralson connected twice from long distance to key a 12-6 stretch that pushed the lead to 33-21 with just over seven minutes to play in the first. Hurtt heated up from outside with two more treys and closed the half with a dunk to help stake Tulsa to the 17-point advantage.
Tulsa pushed the lead to 21 at 55-34 early in the second half, but UTSA used a 9-0 run that featured four points and a pair of steals by junior Sei Paye, to pull within 12. Freshman Jeromie Hill answered a Tulsa basket with a 3-pointer from the wing to make it 57-46 with 15:34 to play, but UTSA was whistled for a foul under the basket on the play, its seventh of the half to put Tulsa in the bonus.
A jumped from the top of the key by junior Larry Wilkins cut the Tulsa lead to 11 at 61-50 with just under 13 minutes to play, but the Hurricane responded with a 14-3 run over the next four minutes to help put the game out of reach.
The Roadrunners return to action next Thursday, Dec. 30, when they take on Bowling Green (3-9). Tip is slated for 6 p.m. (CT).
