Last Sixteen Bittersweet For Miami
March 24, 2000
Video Highlights:
Postgame Press Conference
By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas – The Golden Hurricane found their first success in the second week of theNCAA tournament Friday night, advancing past the round of 16 for the first timein school history with an 80-71 victory over Miami in the South Regional.
“You can put Cinderella on us if you want to, but our players and teamshave shown through the years that they can play with anyone,” Tulsa coach BillSelf said.
Although Tulsa will play in the a regional final for the first time Sunday,the Golden Hurricane are no stranger to the later days of the NCAA tournament.
Tulsa (32-4) has advanced to the Sweet 16 three times since 1994 but hadnever advanced farther. To get there this time it took a second-round victoryover second-seeded Cincinnati.
Tulsa will play the North Carolina-Tennesee winner for a spot in the FinalFour.
“We haven’t been in many close games, we needed an experience likeCincinnati,” Self said. “Miami outplayed us until the eight-minute mark, butthey ran out of gas.”
Thanks to a group effort by Tulsa.
Brandon Kurtz, at 6-foot-10 the only Tulsa player who could match up withMiami’s size, scored all of his 17 points in the second half and provided thekey steal and dunk that snuffed Miami’s only lead with about 10 minutes left toplay.
Eric Coley also scored 17 points for Tulsa and Greg Harrington had 14,Marcus Hill 13 and Tony Heard 11.
“I have high expectations for myself,” Kurtz said. “We spread the floor,opened it up and my teammates found me.”
Miami (23-11) had never made it this far in its three previous tournamentappearances and was noticeably nervous in the opening minutes.
Johnny Hemsley, who averaged 22 points in Miami’s two tournament victories,slammed the ball at midcourt before pregame introductions, sending it high intothe air.
His teammates were just as tight as the Hurricanes turned it over 13 timesin the first half as Tulsa built a 25-8 lead.
Despite giving up the size, Tulsa outrebounded Miami 41-37 and gave theHurricanes no second chance points in the first half. Tulsa had won 25 gamesthis season by double-figure margins and appeared on the verge of another rout.
“I haven’t seen a group of guys play together as they do,” Miami’s VernonJennings said. “They just didn’t let us get into doing what we wanted to do.”
Miami recovered in time to close the gap to 31-25 at halftime on Hemsley’s3-pointer.
The Hurricanes hit 10-of-17 from the arc and Jennings’ 3-pointer give Miamiits first – and only – lead at 46-43 with 10-35 to play.
It lasted all of 45 seconds. Tulsa answered with Hill’s jumper, and Kurtzintercepted Jennings’ pass and finished a fast break with a dunk to retake thelead at 47-46.
Kurtz scored six more as Tulsa built the lead to 61-50 on Heard’s two freethrows with 5:21 to play. Miami never again cut it below eight.
“I thought we were a step slower tonight and you can’t have that against ateam like Tulsa,” Miami coach Leonard Hamilton said. “They are probably thefastest team we faced all year … I think our team was worn out.”
Hamilton, who hired Self as an assistant at Oklahoma State in the late1980s, hugged his former protege at midcourt when the game ended. Miami (23-11)finished one victory short of a school record.
“I’m very proud of what these guys accomplished this year,” Hamilton said.
Jennings and Mario Bland led Miami with 17 points each. Hemsley had 13 on4-of-10 shooting before fouling out in the final minute.
