Sidelines
Another golden game
in a Golden rivalryTULSA. Hated Tulsa. Detested, respected Tulsa. Those Sweet Sixteening, coach revolving, WAC Tourney-hosting, Bracket Buster-headlining worthiest of Rainbow adversaries.
It was Tulsa. You've seen these. This was Tulsa, which meant the script was already written. Great game. Heart-pounding stretch run. Exhausting effort. Rainbows win.
It was Tulsa.
"I take a lot of pride with Tulsa," Carl English said.
How many big shots were hit? How many answers? How much clutch?
It was a game in which every exclamation point was followed by another.
Oh, it was fun. Tubas twisted. Cheerleaders flipped. People in the stands held up signs. It was loud, very loud.
It was intense, very intense.
"Anybody who says this isn't a home-court advantage is crazy," Riley Wallace said.
Wallace is perfect for games like these. His vehemence. His expression. His explosions. At every possession he looks like George Costanza at a Rageaholics Anonymous meeting: I'm losing it!
"To coach in a game like this, that's what it's all about," he said.
Another great one. Another overtime. Another golden heartbreak.
These Hawaii-Tulsa classics are never easy. The UH-Tulsa game is always hard, always earned.
Where did that hefty halftime lead go? Doesn't matter. You knew this one was going to get good.
"It's tough with a team like that," English said, "they keep answering."
You knew this was Tulsa, and that meant someone's heart was going to get broken.
(Have I written that before? It still fits. More so with every outing in this fierce, wonderful series.)
Again, the frustration was Tulsa's. For the fifth time in a row.
"It was the loudest I've heard since I've been here," English said.
"It almost took my ears off," Phil Martin said.
But Tulsa never wilted. And Tulsa answered every shot. It went into overtime, and the anxiety continued, down to the final clicks on the clock.
But then at last there was a steal, and Mark Campbell was sprinting with everything he had, gritting his teeth with the effort. So fast he almost lost the dribble. So fast he had to take off several feet early. But his layup was good, with only a few seconds left, and only then was it over.
"Another typical Tulsa-Hawaii go-at-it ball game," Wallace said.
"We've won every way possible the last five games," he said.
And afterward he would hug a dripping Dr. Phil, and then attack TV interviewer Jim Leahey with a back slap that hurt just to watch.
"Defense!" Wallace barked. "Defense wins games!"
And then the TV interview was over, and Wallace waved to the crowd, as he walked off the court to an ovation well-deserved.
Outside, it was crazy, then. Every horn honked. Everybody buzzed. For the fifth straight time, they had seen it all.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com