Can Tulsa Golden Hurricane Surge Past Wichita State Shockers at Charles Koch Arena?
As the Tulsa Golden Hurricane prepare to face the Wichita State Shockers, fans are eager to see if their team can carry forward the momentum from their recent performances. The upcoming clash at Charles Koch Arena on February 17 promises to be a riveting encounter.
The TLSA's last game against Southeastern Louisiana on December 21 was a nail-biter, with a final score of 48-47 in favor of Tulsa. Despite struggling with three-point shots, hitting only 21 percent from beyond the arc and turning over the ball 16 times, they managed to eke out a win. Their defense was key; seven blocks and tenacious rebounding (43 total rebounds) helped them maintain an edge.
Comparatively, in their game against Texas Tech on December 20, TLSA showed better offensive prowess by putting up 66 points and shooting more efficiently from two-point range at a rate of 52 percent. However, turnovers continued to plague them as they gave up possession another 17 times but managed to keep their assists-turnover ratio slightly lower than in their previous game.
The most impressive performance for TLSA came on December 16 when they dominated Texas Southern with an overwhelming victory of 82-45. They showcased what they're capable of when firing on all cylinders: an impressive field goal percentage of 50 percent and three-point shooting at a solid rate of 38 percent. Their defense was stifling with nine blocks and limiting turnovers compared to previous games.
Wichita State should be wary of TLSA's ability to dominate inside the paint as evidenced by scoring an imposing number of points in that area during past games—42 against Texas Southern alone—and securing rebounds aggressively (51 total rebounds in that same game).
However, it's crucial for Tulsa Golden Hurricane not just to rely on paint dominance but also improve ball security and outside shooting consistency if they want success against Wichita State Shockers who will have home-court advantage.
Fans should expect TLSA's defense to continue being aggressive while seeking more fluidity in offense without compromising ball control. If they can replicate or even exceed their performance from December’s high-scoring affair while tightening up playmaking decisions, there is every reason for optimism heading into this matchup.
Mark your calendars for February 17th at Charles Koch Arena where you can catch all the action live as it unfolds starting at around eight o'clock local time. For those unable to attend in person, tune into your local sports networks or streaming platforms that feature college basketball games so you don't miss any part of what promises to be an exciting contest between these two teams.