Tulsa has two burgeoning college programs that are battling to considered with the elite of the Midwest programs.  Heated rival and new kid on the block Oral Roberts has lit the fire under the Golden Hurricanes administration and have just recently started to emphasize basketball.  These religious zealots are also a private school and both have the same number of enrolled but a far different makeup.  Not exactly the Soc’s and the Greasers but pretty dang close with the school named for the evangelist suddenly getting some national publicity the Golden Hurricanes kept up by going after young coaches with something to prove to get the same kind of recognition.  It started a few years back with Nolan Richardson who set the tone with his stifling full court pressure defense.  He did not last long as big conference Arkansas came calling.  Tubby Smith was next and he stayed even less time but kept up the forward progress.  This year they brought in another brash young coach ‘stealing’ Bill Self from the Titans of Oral Roberts which should not only continue the great coaching ladder this program has shown but also throw a few more coals on the fire of that intercity rivalry. 

Whereas Richardson used the Juco route to move this program forward Smith and now Self will go the traditional route with four-year players to keep the program on the forward march it is taking to hopefully someday compete with the big time Oklahoma and Kansas schools.  That is the goal.   And there is plenty left in the cupboard in Tulsa to keep this program moving towards it’s goal though it may have to jump out of their beloved MVC to achieve this.  Leading the way are some great wing players.  Senior Bobby ‘Bingo’ Smith typifies these players.  A great shooter who will score from anywhere, Smith is a team player who is as worried about his defense as much his rainbow jump shot.  Well almost!  This Memphis product is tough as nails and a leader by desire both on and off the court with his attitude and consistency.   Smith is a fan favorite for the Hurricane faithful and he led the team in scoring last year once again.  Bingo is a great nickname for this cat who loves to hit the long range three but can also help on the boards (much needed here) and is unselfish.  To show how much of a team player he is Smith played many minutes last year at the four which is completely out of his wheel house but with all the wing power somebody had to guard the big men.  At 6’5 195 Smith is nowhere near big enough to play in the trenches and Self has made it a point to bring in some size to this program but B-I-N-G-O will do whatever it takes to help his Hurricanes win.  Smith might have made his name with his jump shot but he is an all-around player who knows how to compete day in and day out and brings it every practice as well as game.  He might not be the complete player Bird is but Bingo is way more than a cool nickname and a great shooter and earned his 1st team all MVC status he received last year. 

Wing play will not be the problem for the team from Tulsa.  Junior Willie Biles showed he can put the ball in the hoop with consistency but has had to wait in line behind his city mate, Smith, trying to get minutes.  An injury early on last year opened the door for some young studs but set back the high-scoring two guard.  The 6’3 stud had to get to the back of the bus of the rotation when he came back and he did not like this.  He might be the best scorer on a team filled with great wing scorers.  Biles is athletic and can shoot but it was not like the Golden Hurricanes were lacking in the ability to score from the two and three spots.  Sophomores Steve Harris and Tracy Moore are both capable wing players who can light it up but are nowhere near the overall player Smith is.  ‘Silk’ Harris is a heck of a shooter as well and can light it up from anywhere when he gets going.  Smooth as can be Harris is a true shooting guard who loves to shoot.  At six five he can get his shot off against anyone and when he is on carries the Hurricanes.  Harris can also get to the hoop but is best with his mid-range game.  He does not help much on the boards and is not a terrific ball handler but man can he score and on another team might be the Bingo Smith.  He has got the nickname and is best suited to take over his role but needs to become more of an all-around player.  Moore is ‘more of’ an all-around scorer who is great on both ends and works his tail off.   This Oklahoma City kid took advantage of the opportunity when Biles was injured and after being called up from the JV increased his minutes and productivity immensely.   Moore is a high percentage three point shooter whereas Harris is more of a mid-range ranger who does not wander much outside his comfort zone. Neither one of these guys started many games but they did have a huge impact.  Their productivity off the bench was huge to the success of this team.  Senior Ron Carson also is a solid wing player who can score but is not as big at only 6’1 and got kind of passed up on the totem pole by the more athletic underclassmen. Fellow senior Julian Hammond showed signs of being a special player in limited playing time after transferring in from a JC and will push for minutes.  He does not miss often and can play inside some though this Chicago native only goes 6’5.   

The glue of this crew of great back court players is Senior Jim ‘Country’ King.  This Arkansas kid is a great competitor and a wonderful all-around player.  He played some point and the two guard and is effective at both.  He is a skilled player who can score and pass and plays tough defense.  There might have been more talented players on the team but Self was not going to replace the hear and soul of this team though as the season progressed, he did take more of a background role. He will be hard to replace next year due to his exceptional leadership but he has one more year in Tulsa and after a tough year will be highly motivate to prove he can play at the next level.  Fellow senior Dick Nunneley is also in the mix but after a good first two years here took a step back last year.  He missed a bunch of games this year but will get every chance to show how good he can be in his final year and to be honest might be better suited for the Tulsa pressure than King.  And there is a truckload of talent on the bench looking to break into the rotation.  Seniors Warren ‘White Shadow’ Shackleford, Roger Wendel and Bill Kusleika bring different skills to the table but all three can play and hopefully will get a shot this year.  As you can see the boys from Tulsa were in good shape on the perimeter.  

Now for the downside to the Hurricanes.  The boys from Tulsa had a hard time in the post especially in such a dominant league as the Missouri Valley for big men.  Senior Bob Patterson got the first call down low and was solid.  He played big minutes for the Hurricanes throughout the first part of last year.  A good offensive player, Patterson at six four had real trouble guarding the big guys in this conference.  He needed help especially after fellow Senior David Voss went down 3 games with a season ending injury.  Coach Self brought up first year player Herb Johnson from the JV to help.  Johnson is just the opposite of Patterson.  He is a tough as nails low post defender and rebounder.  He blocks shots and bangs with anyone in his general area.  He doesn’t score much but the Hurricane did not need him to.  His ascension to starter was a huge part of this team’s success.  The final piece of the puzzle came when junior Dana Lewis became eligible 7 games into the season after transferring from Oral Roberts (with Coach Self).  Once Lewis got his sea legs he gave the Hurricanes another viable low post option on both ends of the court.  The six foot ten big man can flat score and board.   Lewis was probably the most important player on the roster for the Golden Hurricanes as when he was playing well he could hang with the Carrs and Benjarmins of this league.  This highly sought after Newark kid has a tendency however to sometimes not be as inspired as one with his kind of talent can be.  Still, if Lewis does come back, and that is a big if as there are rumors he is leaving early, he will be the main low post option for the Golden Hurricanes.  And as anyone who has seen him on his best nights can attest Lewis is one of the best big men this league has ever seen.  His blocked shot on Xavier McDaniel in the closing seconds to help the Golden Eagles prevail in that double overtime classic is already legendary in Tulsa.   Senior Rob Washington is also in the mix though a bit undersized at 6’6.  Washington is a brute and an enforcer but limited offensively.   Another senior, Al Cueto, got some minutes and played well when called upon.  This 6’7 230 pounder was born in Havana, Cuba and matriculated this way through Coral Gables. Cueto is the first major college player from Cuba and is a banger but does not bring much offensively but can set a mean screen.  Voss will be back as will sophomore wing David Moss.  The two get confused often but one is an inside player and the other is a wing.  Both can play as Moss was the leading scorer on the JV but enters a crowded group on the wing.  There are some JC kids lingering who Self hopes will contribute up front especially if Lewis does not come back.  Without the big man the Hurricanes will be in the eye of the storm quickly in the MVC. 

The Tulsa Hurricanes behind the press that has made them famous and a large group of gifted and athletic wing players had a very productive season in the super tough Missouri Valley Conference.  Bill Self has taken the reins over and kept the Hurricane pressing and running and scoring at high clips.  He has the horses to do it and a very large stable of talented thoroughbreds.  The Hurricane have a JV team program that is deep and talented and have numerous players pushing for PT next season.  Sadly, most of these Underclassmen are wings and not posts.  The Achilles heel of a lack of dominant big men caught up with this team eventually but not before they finished another in a string of very solid seasons for their great fans in the dust of Oklahoma.