By Haddy Barghouti (HB_SportsBeat) – Spear Reporter | Redshirt freshman gaurd Ben Roseborough takes a jump shot over Tulsa senior guard Cam Amboree during SJSU’s 80-66 win over Southern University on Nov. 21. (Photo by Marilyn-Bride Anye/The Spear)
San Jose State men’s basketball (2-4, 0-0 MW) suffered its largest loss of the season, falling 81-51 to Tulsa (5-1, 0-0 AAC) on Tuesday in the opening round of the Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Springs.
The Spartans trailed by just 10 at halftime but were outscored by 20 in the second half, allowing the Golden Hurricanes to pull away.
Junior guard Colby Garland was once again a bright spot for SJSU, leading the team with 13 points.
Garland has now scored in double figures in every game this season. He was the only Spartan to reach double digits.
Tulsa, meanwhile, had four players score in double figures, led by graduate forward David Green, who finished with 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting.
SJSU struggled from beyond the arc. After making 20 3-pointers across its last two games, the Spartans hit just six on 33% shooting. Tulsa knocked down 13 threes at a 52% clip.
The Golden Hurricanes also controlled the paint, outscoring the Spartans 34-22 inside. Turnovers added to the Spartans’ issues, with SJSU committing 12 compared to Tulsa’s nine.
Tulsa moved the ball efficiently as well, totaling 20 assists while SJSU managed only seven.
Senior forward Yaphet Moundi was SJSU’s second-leading scorer with eight points and six rebounds, but he saw his streak of three straight double-digit rebounding games come to an end.
SJSU head coach Tim Miles said the team struggled to sustain its competitiveness as the game wore on.
“I didn’t think we competed very well at all, and lost our will late in the game,” Miles said. “Tulsa did a good job being physical, making shots, and we’re gonna have to bounce back.”
The Spartans won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as theyreturn to Acrisure Arena to face Loyola Chicago at 11 a.m.Wednesday for game two of the tournament, an opponent they saw in last season’s National Invitation Tournament.
