The **TU Golden Hurricane** faced a disappointing loss against the **Wichita State Shockers**, falling 81-68 in the **American Conference Tournament semifinals** held in **Birmingham** on March 15, 2024. This defeat not only ended Tulsa’s impressive six-game winning streak but also dashed their hopes of securing a conference championship for the first time since 2014.
Head coach **Eric Konkol** expressed the emotional weight of the loss, remarking, “This is a really hard moment. We fully wanted and had aspirations of playing tomorrow and cutting down the nets. Anytime you fall short of a goal that you’ve worked really hard for, it’s tough.”
Leading the Golden Hurricane in scoring was **Tylen Riley**, who contributed 18 points along with five assists. **Miles Barnstable** added 14 points, while **Tyler Behrend** chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds. Despite trailing by as much as 20 points in the second half, Riley emphasized the team’s resilience, stating, “It’s really difficult. We talked way back in the summer about what our goals were. Of course, playing tomorrow was one of them.”
Wichita State’s strong performance significantly contributed to TU’s struggle, with effective shooting and rebounding playing a crucial role in the Shockers’ victory. Konkol noted the various challenges his team faced, attributing some of the adversity to Wichita State’s gameplay.
Despite the setback, Konkol remains optimistic about the future of the season for the Golden Hurricane. “I hope there’s an opportunity to play in the postseason. I think these guys deserve it. They’ve worked really hard and sacrificed for one another,” he stated. He highlighted that postseason basketball is typically reserved for teams at the top of their league and pointed to metrics from respected analytics sources, suggesting that his team has a case for postseason consideration.
As they await an invitation to a postseason tournament, Tulsa’s players and fans hold onto hope for a continuation of this historic season. Potential destinations include the **National Invitation Tournament (NIT)** or the **College Basketball Invitational**. Official announcements regarding tournament invitations will be made on March 15, 2024, at 20:30 GMT.
With their season hanging in the balance, the Golden Hurricane remains focused on their goal to extend their basketball journey further into March.
