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TULSA, Okla. - Marshall University men's basketball was in need of a win when the Herd traveled to the University  of Tulsa on Wednesday night.

What the Herd got was another frustrating loss to one of the top teams in Conference USA when Tulsa (18-4, 7-1 C-USA) topped the Herd, 73-69, thanks to 12 more free throws and 12 more points at the line.

Marshall fell to 15-7, 4-4 C-USA) with its fifth-straight loss and the fifth-loss in five tries at TU's Reynolds Center since joining Conference USA in 2005.

Tulsa shot 31 free throws, making 25, while the Herd shot only 19, making 13. TU out-rebounded MU 38-35, grabbing the final three of the game. One came off a Tyler Wilkerson miss with :25 to play. Then, Shaquille Johnson had his lay-up blocked by Tulsa's Jerome Jorday, who rebounded the ball then raced ahead of the Herd to dunk to set the final total.

Jordan scored 24 points, making 7-of-16 shots but also making 10-of-13 at the line. He had three blocks and 12 rebounds for a double-double. Also with a double-double was Steven Idlet, who had 11 points and ten rebounds.

Wilkerson had a career-best 26 points, with seven rebounds to lead the Herd in both categories. Darryl Merthie, who played 37 minutes at point with Damier Pitts suspended for the second time this season, had six points, six assists and just one turnover in the game.

MU out-field goaled TU by hitting 26-of-56 (46.4 percent) to Tulsa's 22-of-55 (40 percent). Both shot 4-of-10 from three.

Leading 18-13 at the second media timeout of the first half, Marshall raced out of the break to a 11-1 run that was capped off by a Wilkerson layup.  With Marshall leading by 15 (29-14), Bishop Wheatley’s free throw broke a over three-minute TU scoring drought.
The Golden Hurricane chipped away at the MU advantage.  Steven Idlet’s shot jumper made it 35-28 with 1:24 to go in the first half.  Marshall ended up with the ball for the final possession of the first half.  Taking advantage of the situation, Shaquille Johnson made a jumper from just inside the free throw line to allow the Herd to take a 37-28 lead into the halftime break.
Tulsa began the second half by outscoring the Herd 22-10.  Wilkerson scored 11 straight Marshall points with the his final effort tying the game 52-52 at 10:06.  Haymon’s putback gave MU a 54-52 lead a little under a minute later.  A TU turnover led to Haymon being fouled on a fastbreak.  His free throws gave Marshall a four-point advantage.

Bryson Pope’s three-point play on the next Tulsa possession created a one-point game.  Tirrell Baines, making his return to the floor after injury and illness, was fouled on a bucket, but he missed the free throw, leaving the game 58-55 Marshall.  The Herd got out on a fast break after a Tulsa miss.  Johnson found Chris Lutz open for a wide open three-pointer resulting in a 61-55 lead.
Just before the third media timeout of the closing frame, Jordan was fouled by Whiteside going up for layup, sending the freshman to the bench with his fourth foul.  Jordan’s eighth and ninth free throw attempts of the night were good, making it 61-57.

Marshall turned the ball over resulting in Jordan getting the ball down low.  He was fouled and he both attempts from the charity stripe.   Jordan picked up his fourth foul when he hit Baines going up for a shot.  Baines made the first free throw attempt, but missed the second, giving the Herd a three-point lead (62-59).
Baines fouled Idlet.  The 6-10 sophomore made the front end of the 1-and-1 attempt and hit on the second.  Leading by one, Lutz missed a three-pointer and the ball went off a Herd player, giving the Golden Hurricane the ball.  Jordan put TU back into the lead with a short jumper.  The Herd turned it over and fouled Ben Uzoh who made the steal.  Uzoh’s made the front end of the 1-and-1.

Uzoh missed the second, giving Tulsa a 64-62 lead.  With the shot clock winding down, Merthie’s three-point attempt from 30 feet out was good, returning the lead to the Herd at 65-64.
Marshall worked the ball into Wilkerson into the paint where he was fouled at the 2:17 mark.  The 10th TU foul resulted in two free throw attempts for the 6-8 forward.

Wilkerson connected on both for a three-point Herd advantage.  With 1:41 remaining, Pope was fouled on a putback  and he made the free throw to tie the game 67-67.

17 seconds later, a Wilkerson jumper from five-feet out gave the Herd a 69-67 lead.
The Golden Hurricane called timeout with 65 ticks remaining, setting up a play for Uzoh who tied the game with a 19-foot jump shot, one of only two field goals for the All-C-USA player.

Marshall called a 30-second timeout with 41 seconds remaining.  The Herd couldn’t inbound the ball and were forced to call timeout.

Wilkerson missed a 17-foot jumper with Whiteside fouling Jordan on the rebound, sending the Kingston, Jamaica native to the free throw line for the 12th and 13th attempt of the game.  Jordan made both attempts for a 71-69 lead.

The Herd did not call timeout. Johnson’s layup attempt blocked, the rebound found Jordan and his dunk made it the final 73-69.

Whiteside was the only other MU player in double figures with 10 but it came on 4-of-9 shooting, with only one rebound in 25 minutes.

He blocked five shots to raise his season total to 118.

Jordan led Tulsa as he was 10-of-13 from the free throw line on his way to 24 points.  Hurtt ended the night with 18 while Idlet had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
“I am proud of our effort tonight,” said Marshall head coach Donnie Jones.  “We played hard and I am pleased with our effort tonight.  Give Tulsa credit, they made plays when the needed to do to win.”
Marshall returns to the court Saturday looking to end their five-game losing streak at home against East Carolina. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised on the Thundering Herd/ISP Network.
NOTES—According to the Reynolds Center press row seating chart, scouts from nine different NBA teams were in attendance… Darryl Merthie’s three-pointer at 16:29 of the first half was the 6-0 guard’s first points since UAB game Jan. 23.

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