This one is going to be a tall order. For us to win almost everything has to go right for us and everything has to go wrong for them.
Here is the ESPN summary:
COACH AND PROGRAM
Despite being the clear No. 2 team in Conference USA, finishing as the runner-up in the regular-season standings and the league tournament, Tulsa didn't get much attention last March from the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
Indeed, living in the shadow of Memphis' historic dominance over the last few years hasn't made life easy for Doug Wojcik and his Golden Hurricane when it comes to the postseason conversation.
Though Wojcik acknowledges that his team could have helped its own case on a couple occasions last season, he's also a firm believer that the other contenders in C-USA were unfairly perceived as nothing more than road kill for John Calipari's Tigers.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Last Season 25-11 (.694)
Conference Record 12-4 (2nd)
Starters Lost/Returning 1/4
Coach Doug Wojcik (Navy '87)
Record At School 81-54 (4 years)
Career Record 81-54 (4 years)
RPI Last 5 years 247-206-118-71-56
But with Calipari no longer at Memphis and the Tigers poised to take at least a temporary step back to the pack, there are no more excuses for Tulsa. With a senior-laden roster and the conference tournament in its backyard, now is the time for Wojcik to cap off his rebuilding project with Tulsa's first NCAA appearance since 2003.
"I feel that way personally," Wojcik said. "I think every coach has to get to the tournament. You don't punch the NCAA Tournament ticket, that's what everyone is measured on."
After joining C-USA in 2005 -- Wojcik's first season -- the expectation was that Tulsa would eventually become one of the league's flagship basketball programs given its facilities, fan base and tradition of sustained success in the 1980s, '90s and early 2000s.
But the program Wojcik took over was nothing like the one his predecessors Tubby Smith and Bill Self piloted to NCAA Tournament glory. Wojcik, a former assistant to Tom Izzo at Michigan State, was hired on the heels of consecutive nine-win seasons, ensuring he would get plenty of time to prove his worth as a first-time head coach.
Wojcik's timetable was serendipitously sped up when his first full recruiting class included a pair of future all-conference players.
PLAYERS
Though neither 7-0 center Jerome Jordan (13.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.5 bpg) nor 6-3 guard Ben Uzoh (14.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.6 apg) were ranked by the major scouting services or recruited by name-brand programs, they have nonetheless become cornerstones for two straight 25-win seasons. Now seniors, their experience makes Tulsa the most logical pick to unseat Memphis as league champs.
"Some people would say that's pressure, but you have pressure to win anyway," Wojcik said. "It's a nice tribute to our players and our program and kind of where we are. Our guys are working hard and doing what we've done the last few years, and we hope for big things."
There isn't a whole lot of mystery to this Tulsa team. With Wojcik's emphasis on sound man-to-man defense and Jordan's ability to block shots -- he needs 63 to become the league's all-time leader -- Tulsa should match or improve its scoring defense (61.4 ppg) and field-goal defense (.392). Tulsa has perhaps lacked a bit on the offensive end, and Wojcik is banking mostly on development of his current players to add a little bit extra scoring punch.
Among those with room to improve their offense, three in particular stand out.
Junior Justin Hurtt (9.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg), 6-4, reached double-figures in 17 of the final 26 games and finished as the leading three-point shooter (.390). Tulsa's most athletic player, Hurtt must get to the rim with more regularity and become a difference-maker defensively.
Perhaps the most intriguing talent on the roster is 6-11 sophomore Steven Idlet (3.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), who was brought along slowly by Wojcik early last season but showed some flashes of becoming a dangerous offensive big man. The issue is whether Idlet will play behind Jordan at center or next to him at power forward. That combination in the frontcourt would certainly give Tulsa size around the basket, but it might be a tad slow defensively if teams counter with a small lineup.
After struggling with the sudden death of his father, 6-2 junior guard Glenn Andrews (7.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg) also blossomed late last season, scoring 15 in a big conference tournament win over UAB and 13 against Memphis in the finals. Andrews, however, suffered another devastating setback in June when he tore an ACL in his knee. Though it's possible Andrews could return in December, the pace of his rehab will ultimately determine whether he plays this season or is redshirted.
"It becomes a team/individual decision, more probably toward the individual than the team depending on where we are," Wojcik said. "If it's coming along great, fantastic. If not, we're going to do the best thing for him."
In terms of Tulsa's starting lineup, the biggest question mark will be whether Uzoh plays point guard or shooting guard. Though Wojcik believes Uzoh's best shot at the next level is at point guard, he's more of a scorer than a natural creator. If Uzoh could spend some time on the wing and focus just on his own offense, it would probably help Tulsa's overall output.
Wojcik didn't have that luxury last season -- Uzoh played all of his 35.8 minutes per game at point -- but might have more options with the addition of 6-1 freshman Donte Medder (22.6 ppg, 5.0 apg, Mesa High/Phoenix, Ariz.). Medders is a true point guard -- ESPN.com ranked him the No. 14 prep point nationally -- and his readiness to play right away will determine how much time Uzoh is allowed to spend on the wing.
If Uzoh ends up at the point with Hurtt at shooting guard, Wojcik will take a long look at 6-6 freshman Bryson Pope (Jenks High/Jenks, Okla.) to start at small forward. Born in France (his father Derrick Pope had a long pro career overseas), Bryson Pope played for the French U-19 team in the FIBA championships in New Zealand this summer. Though he's more of a driver than a shooter, Tulsa won't need much offense from Pope but will ask him to use his athleticism and guard some of the league's high-scoring wing players.
When teams try to play small against Tulsa, Wojcik can insert 6-6 senior Bishop Wheatley (4.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg) at power forward. Though he doesn't provide any scoring threat, Wheatley is a jack-of-all-trades type who has some physical presence, understands the system and started 31 games last season.
Sophomore Joe Richard (6-7, 1.1 ppg, 9.1 mpg) is cut from a similar cloth, giving Tulsa plenty of frontcourt depth to combat a variety of styles.
Freshman Kodi Maduka (Arlington High/Arlington, Texas), 6-10 and 190 pounds, won't be physically ready to contribute immediately.
Regardless of who plays the four position, he will likely be a beneficiary of the attention paid to Jordan every night. The Jamaican sensation flirted with the idea of entering the NBA draft but decided to continue developing his game in college, where he still hasn't quite reached a level of dominance. A late bloomer who still might be on the thin side, Jordan shot 58.6 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line, but he still could add more elements to his offensive package, especially stepping away from the basket.
Though he is a good passer, Jordan also needs to figure out the intimidation aspect of being a 7-footer. Too often in his career, he has been neutralized by teams that either rough him up or try to double-team him. Wojcik, however, bristles at the suggestion that Jordan needs to get tougher.
"I kind of like his demeanor," said Wojcik, who pointed out that his former college teammate, David Robinson, also received the same type of criticism. "He's going to serve a team well, he's mature. What's he supposed to do, throw an elbow in somebody's mouth? He's too valuable to the team to get in foul trouble."
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: A-
INTANGIBLES: B+
For Tulsa, missing the NCAA Tournament last year had nothing to do with personnel. The Golden Hurricane was good enough to finish 12-4 in the league with three losses by a combined four points, including a 55-54 home loss to Memphis on Antonio Anderson's buzzer-beater. Tulsa also suffered a four-point loss to Illinois on a neutral court and blew a late lead at home against BYU.
Of course, it's impossible to expect any team to win all the close ones, but once again Tulsa will have to maximize its opportunities out of conference while avoiding bad losses in a league that should be quite competitive at the top. If all else fails, the Golden Hurricane at least won't have to face a road atmosphere in the C-USA Tournament because it's moving from Memphis to the new Bank of Oklahoma Center in downtown Tulsa. But regardless of the final result, everything seems to be set up for another forward step in Tulsa's program.
"The thing that excites me is that there's all these expectations now, yet we've still won through all of that," Wojcik said. "We haven't gotten to the tournament, but through our development and progress, we've still won. If the best is still ahead, then I'm pretty pleased with what we've done."