Oklahoma St. Hits Record 80% From Field in Beating Tulane

Byron Houston and Corey Williams each scored 27 points and Oklahoma State shot a NCAA tournament-record 80% from the field as the 11th-ranked Cowboys crushed Tulane, 87-71, Sunday in the second round of the Southeast Regional.

The Cowboys (28-7) made 28 of 35 shots to break the previous mark of 79% (49 of 62), set by North Carolina in 1988 against Loyola Marymount.

The victory sends the Big Eight runner-up to the regional semifinals in Lexington, Ky.

Tulane, in the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, finished 22-9 in only its third season since disbanding basketball for four years because of a point-shaving scandal.

Tulane’s pressing defense gave Oklahoma State some trouble, but it didn’t matter because of the Cowboys’ shooting touch. Despite 25 turnovers, Oklahoma State never trailed.

G.J. Hunter led Tulane with 17 points.

The Cowboys remained unbeaten (18-0) against teams outside the Big Eight this season.

Houston gave the Cowboys the lead for good 87 seconds into the game when he made a three-pointer. Williams came back moments later with a layup and Oklahoma State eventually stretched the lead to 23-13 on a Williams’ three-pointer with 9:16 to play in the half.

Tulane rallied behind Hunter’s seven points and four by David Whitmore to cut the lead to 26-24, but never got closer.

The Cowboys led, 40-34, at halftime and quickly stretched the lead at the start of the second half on a layup by Houston, a three-pointer by Williams and a 10-footer by Bryant Reeves for a 47-34 lead.

Tulane never got within 10 points the rest of the way.