Horne scores 27, Tulsa beats UConn after coaches tossed
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Jeriah Horne scored a career-high 27 points and Tulsa held off UConn 89-83 on Wednesday night in a game both head coaches were ejected midway through the second half.
Tulsa coach Frank Haith and UConn coach Dan Hurley were ejected with 11:40 to play and Tulsa leading 61-47. Haith protested a foul call against his forward DaQuan Jeffries and Hurley began yelling at Haith. The two exchanged words and officials assessed both two technical fouls before play resumed.
Jeffries finished with 14 points for Tulsa (12-6, 2-3 American). Martins Igbanu added 13 and Sterling Taplin 11. The Golden Hurricane snapped a two-game conference losing streak and kept UConn winless in five trips to Tulsa.
Tulsa went on a 19-7 run over the first eight minutes of the second half, capped by a corner 3-pointer by Taplin, to lead 61-44. UConn struggled to find its rhythm offensively against Tulsa's matchup zone until Jalen Adams took matters into his own hands late in the game. Adams finished with 27 points. Christian Vital scored 15 and Alterique Gilbert added 13 for the Huskies (10-8, 1-4).
The Huskies trimmed their 17-point deficit to six numerous times, but Tulsa made 9 of 12 free throws in the final 1:10 to preserve its lead.
Horne scored 17 first-half points, making 6-of-7 shots, including all three of his 3-pointers, to push Tulsa to a 42-37 halftime lead. The Hurricane shot 53 percent in the opening half against a team that allows just 40 percent for the season. Tulsa finished at 53.7 percent (29 of 54).
Igbanu and Jeffries also combined for 18 points in the opening half, most of it around the basket. Adams and Vital kept UConn close with a combined 17. Tulsa took the lead on a drive by Darien Jackson at 23-22 and slowly built on it through the final 7:55, twice pushing the advantage to eight.
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UConn goes home to face Wichita State on Saturday.
Tulsa is on the road against UCF on Saturday.
