Junior David Brown recorded a team-best nine rebounds in TU's 74-72 upset over 14th-ranked Wichita State in double overtime.

Tulsa Shocks Wichita in Two OTs

Brown Caps 74-72 Hurricane Upset

Wichita, Kansas - By Dean Clark, World Sports Writer
Tulsa World • February 16, 1981

David Brown made three critical plays in the final 27 seconds of the second overtime to lift Tulsa to a 74-72 upset victory over Missouri Valley Conference leader Wichita Monday night at Levitt Arena.

The loss was the first of the season for the 14th-ranked Shockers on their home court. Wichita had won 13 straight games in Levitt, a streak that formed the backbone of a (prior to Monday) 19-2 record and 10-1 Valley mark. That lone Valley loss was in Tulsa, 91-84, early in January. That also was the last time Wichita had lost to anyone, anywhere. In between, the Shockers had reeled off 10 straight victories to apparently wrap up the league title and the impressive manner of most of those victories had generated national championship thoughts among the Shocker faithful.

Despite the loss, Wichita still has command of the Valley race with a two-game lead in the loss column over Tulsa, Creighton and Bradley.

The victory elevated the Hurricane to 17-5 for the season and to 9-4 in league games.

Tulsa, playing a deliberate style for the second straight game, dominated most of the game and would have won in regulation and in the first overtime if it had converted its free throws. But the Hurricane made only 20 of 35 foul shots and had to stage astonishing rallies at both the end of regulation and in the second overtime to earn the dramatic victory, probably the biggest of the season for TU.

Wichita, which had to play both overtimes without three starters who had fouled out, appeared to have won when Randy Smithson converted two free throws to give the Shockers a 71-68 lead with 1:01 left in the second overtime.

But Phil Spradling, who scored all three of his baskets in the 10 extra minutes, scored for the Hurricane just 10 seconds later.

Mike Jones had a chance to wrap up things for the Shockers with 27 seconds left but he missed the first shot of a one-and-one situation. Jones then compounded that error by fouling (it was his fifth and that would prove critical) two seconds later.

Brown hit both free throws to give TU its first lead of the second overtime.

Wichita's Antoine Carr, otherwise awesome with a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds and five blocked shots, missed from short range but Shocker Jay Jackson won a scramble for the rebound in the right corner. He passed to Karl Papke (who was in the game only because Jones had fouled out). He dribbled into traffic, Brown stole the ball and drew a foul with one second left.

He hit both foul shots, his third key contribution of the final seconds, and it turned out TU unexpectedly needed them both because Mike Anderson foolishly fouled Smithson as the Shocker guard was launching a desperation shot at the final buzzer. Smithson made one of two free throws for the game's final point.

Tulsa made an even more incredible comeback at the end of regulation, scoring five points in the final 25 seconds to erase a 58-53 Shocker lead, Tulsa even had a chance to win a the end of that spurt!

Brown started it by making a free throw. He missed his second shot but Paul Pressey tipped it in, cutting the Shocker lead to 58-56. That was Pressey's only basket of the final 32 minutes and only the second Tulsa field goal in the final six minutes.

James Gibbs had a chance to win it for Wichita with 18 seconds left but missed a free throw. Gibbs then fouled Anderson with eight seconds left. Anderson tied the game by hitting both free throws for the last of his team-leading 17 points.

Jones threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds play giving TU possession under the Shocker basket. But TU settled for a long-range shot by Pressey. The Hurricane probably did not wish to risk a foul in that situation and preferred to take its chances in overtime since the Shockers had lost star forward Cliff Levingston (11 points and a game-high 18 rebounds), center Ozell Jones and guard Tony Martin via fouls.

That looked like good strategy, as the Hurricane quickly broke to a three-point lead in the first overtime. But missed free throws by Pressey, who was to ultimately foul out, and Bruce Vanley prevented TU from wrapping things up. Wichita climbed into a 62-62 tie on a 20-footer by Jones with 50 seconds left. Anderson and Jackson each missed in the final seconds to send the game to a second overtime.

Anderson's 17 points led a very balanced Tulsa attack which saw six players produce at least seven points. Wichita was mainly a three-man show of Carr, Levingston and Smithson who had 16 points. He was the Shockers' only effective foul shooter, hitting eight of 11.

Attendance was 10,993.