Tulsa Golden Hurricane Faces Detroit Mercy and Georgia State in Jacksonville Classic

The University of Tulsa men’s basketball team is set to participate in the Jacksonville Classic, facing off against the Detroit Mercy Titans and the Georgia State Panthers in back-to-back games. The Golden Hurricane, currently on a three-game losing streak, brings a 3-3 record into the tournament. Their most recent loss was a significant 89-53 defeat at Loyola Chicago, where the team struggled with a field goal percentage under 30% and a 3-point shooting percentage of just 9%.

The first game against Detroit Mercy is scheduled for Tuesday, November 26, at 11:00 a.m. CT at the Florida State College Jacksonville South campus. Detroit Mercy, also with a 3-3 record, is under the new leadership of head coach Mark Montgomery, who has already shown positive signs after taking over a program that finished 1-31 last season. The Titans have secured wins over Cleary, Niagara, and Ball State, with their most recent outing being a 10-point loss to Wake Forest.

On Wednesday, November 27, Tulsa will face Georgia State, which has a 3-2 record this season. Georgia State’s Toneari Lane leads the team with an average of 17.8 points per game, while Nick McMullen is a standout in rebounding, averaging 10.4 boards per game. The Panthers have wins over Ball State, Toccoa Falls, and N.C. Central, with losses to Mississippi State and Jacksonville State.

The games will be streamed on BallerTV and can also be heard on Big Country 99.5 FM and the Varsity Network app, with Bruce Howard and JR Rollo providing the commentary. Rebounding is expected to be a key factor in the matchup against Detroit Mercy, as both teams have strong rebounding averages, with Tulsa averaging 39 rebounds per game and Detroit Mercy averaging 44.5 rebounds per game.

Following the Jacksonville Classic, Tulsa will have a week off for the Thanksgiving break before hosting Oklahoma State on December 4 at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, with the game set to air on ESPN+.