Tulsa Pulls Away Late from Braves in Season-Opener

TULSA, Okla. – Down by just one point with 8:18 to go, Tulsa was able to break the game open late and take a 73-56 decision from the Alcorn State University men's basketball program Tuesday evening at the Reynolds Center.
 
The Braves (0-1) led for over five minutes in the first half. They trailed just 53-52 when Tulsa (1-0) ended the game on a 20-4 run.
 
Junior Deshaw Andrews shined for the Braves with a game-high 20 points. He was 3-for-5 from long-range and also recorded five rebounds and four steals in 29 minutes.
 
Juniors Maurice Howard and Jonathan Floyd pitched in with eight points apiece.
 
Tulsa was paced by Sterling Taplin who netted 16 points. Elijah Joiner also reached double-figures with 11 points.
 
The Braves trailed 15-8 early when a three-pointer by Andrews and a dunk by junior Alonzo Campbell sparked a 7-1 run to trail just 16-15. A three-pointer by junior Khari Jabriel Allen tied it 20-20 at the 9:14 mark.
 
Alcorn took a 25-24 edge on a jumper by junior Devon Brewer. Another long-range shot by Allen put the Braves up 31-28 with 5:02 left.
 
Alcorn was up 37-36 when the Golden Hurricane scored the last four points of the half including a lay-up by Taplin with five seconds remaining to take a 40-37 advantage into the break.
 
Tulsa came out firing in the second and was looking to put the game away with a 51-41 edge midway through. Though, the Braves didn't go away and drilled three-points by Andrews and Floyd to trim the deficit to 51-47 with 9:38 to go.
 
Floyd hit another shot from beyond-the-arc to make it a 53-52 game. However, Tulsa answered with a 10-0 spurt and ended the game with a 20-4 run to put it away.
 
The Braves will return to Lorman for their home-opener Friday as they host Blue Mountain at 7 p.m. at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
 
NOTES
- It was just the second-ever meeting between the team teams. The Golden Hurricane took the first 92-79 in 1984-85.
 
- The Braves were 9-for-26 (.346) from three-point range and held Tulsa to a 5-for-19 (.263) mark.
 
- It was Andrews' first game as a Brave as he set his career-high at 20 points. He was an NJCAA Division I All-American and Region X Player of the Year last season at USC Salkehatchie.

- The game featured five ties and 13 lead changes.
 
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