Broncos Go Down to the Wire Against Tulsa

Broncos Go Down to the Wire Against Tulsa
Quotes | Box Score

By GREG SMITH
Associated Press Writer

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - David Shelton scored a career-high 26 points, including six 3-pointers, as Tulsa outlasted Santa Clara 65-59 Friday to earn a berth in the championship game of the Hawkeye Challenge tournament.

Greg Harrington added 13 points while Kevin Johnson and Dante Swanson each scored 11 for Tulsa (4-1), which won its third straight. Brian Jones finished with 17 points for Santa Clara (3-3) while Jamie Holmes had 15 and Justin Holbrook 10.

The Golden Hurricane will play the winner of the Tennessee-Chattanooga-Iowa game, which started later Friday.

Shelton was averaging nearly 11 points a game but was only 3-of-14, or 21.4 percent, from long range. That changed in the first half, when he buried 3-of-5 long range shots to give Tulsa a 26-25 lead at the break.

His two free throws with 15:10 to play gave the Golden Hurricane a 37-32 lead, the largest margin for either team in the second half until Harrington's two free throws with 1.3 seconds ended the scoring.

Shelton, whose previous high was 24 points against Texas Christian twice last year, was 6-of-9 from the field and perfect in all eight trips to the free throw line.

Holmes' two free throws with 16.7 seconds remaining pulled the Broncos to within 61-59 before Shelton drilled two free throws after being fouled by Jones with 10.1 seconds to play.

Jones missed a shot from the right corner and Harrington iced the game with his free throws after being fouled while rebounding the miss.