Jan. 27, 2007
Boxscore in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Freshman point guard Mark Hill made four free throws in the final 31 seconds as Tulsa held off a late rally by Southern Methodist for a 70-66 victory on Saturday night.
Tulsa (13-6, 3-3 Conference USA) was ahead until the final minute, when SMU's Donatas Rackauskas scored on a conventional 3-point play with 21 seconds left to make it 67-63.
After Tulsa's Charles Ramsdell made one of two free throws, Rackauskas drained a long 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds remaining to pull the Ponies within 68-66. But Hill made two free throws with 4.2 remaining to seal the win.
Jon Killen had a career-best 11 assists, getting the final one when Rackauskas knocked down his final 3-pointer. Bamba Fall had five blocks for the Mustangs. He now has 56 on the season, setting the SMU sophomore record, passing Jon Koncak's mark of 54 in 1982-83.
Ike Ofoegbu led SMU with 19 points, followed by Rackauskas and Brian Epps with 14 points each. The Mustangs outshot Tulsa 46 percent to 41 percent and outrebounded the Hurricane 32-29 but had 19 turnovers to 13 for TU.
Tulsa opened a 49-35 lead early in the second half before a 9-0 run by SMU pulled the Mustangs (12-8, 1-5 C-USA) within 49-44.
Hill had 16 points and eight assists against three turnovers, while Rod Earls led Tulsa with 19 points, making four of 10 3-point shots. Freshman Ben Uzoh added 11 points and six rebounds.
The Mustangs' next two games are also on the road. The Ponies are at UAB on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. followed by an ESPN nationally televised game at 11th-ranked Memphis on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 11 a.m. The team returns home to face Houston in a CSTV televised game on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m.
