[4:32 PM] Tulsa v. Stephen F. Austin

Who will WIN this matchup?

Tulsa Golden Hurricane (5-4)

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (4-5)

 

• Two juniors in their first season with Tulsa will take the main stage Thursday, when the Golden Hurricane face Stephen F. Austin in the opening round of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. Jaleel Wheeler, a 6-4 shooting guard who played his first two seasons at Kilgore College in Texas, is averaging 13.4 points and six rebounds while Junior Etou, a 6-7, 240-pound forward from the Congo who spent his first two seasons with Rutgers, is posting 11.2 and seven.

• Stephen F. Austin opened the season with a 23-point loss to No. 5 Kentucky and also suffered setbacks against Arkansas and Rice, who are a combined 19-4. Ivan Canete is a 6-4 shooting guard who averages a team-high 13.8 points for the Lumberjacks, but he’s topped that number in five of his last six games.

• If the Golden Hurricane can get shooting guard Pat Birt untracked, they might do better than the eighth-place finish they were predicted to have in the American Athletic Conference. Birt, the lone returning starter for Tulsa this season, was the third-leading scorer in 2015-16 at 12 points per game and top 3-point shooter at 36.6 percent, but the senior’s numbers are down to 8.7 and 28.3 percent. He shot better Saturday against Texas State, making 3-of-5 from long range and finishing with 11 points, putting him in position to score in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

• The Lumberjacks could give Tulsa some problems with their length, as 6-8 forward TJ Holyfield is the team’s second-leading scorer (12.6 points) and top rebounder (7.7), followed closely by 6-7 forward Leon Gilmore III at 10.8 points and 6.6 boards. Etou can’t guard both and Wheeler would be giving up too much height, meaning the Golden Hurricane likely will lean on 6-10 freshman forward Will Magnay to play a big role on the glass. Kevon Harris is another freshman for the Lumberjacks who’s catching on quickly, as the 6-6 forward has surpassed his 9.2 scoring average in four of the last five games.

• The Golden Hurricane are 33-5 over the last three seasons when leading at halftime and 12-21 when trailing.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Confidence: 5/10

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