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Tulsa Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Golden Hurricanes

By Jason Burgess

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Frank Haith of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane reacts against the Cincinnati Bearcats at BB&T Arena on February 25, 2018 in Highland Heights, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Frank Haith of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane reacts against the Cincinnati Bearcats at BB&T Arena on February 25, 2018 in Highland Heights, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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DAYTON, OH – MARCH 16: Sterling Taplin #4 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and teammates prepare for their game against the Michigan Wolverines during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 16, 2016 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH – MARCH 16: Sterling Taplin #4 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and teammates prepare for their game against the Michigan Wolverines during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 16, 2016 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2018-19 could be a critical year for Frank Haith and Tulsa Basketball. Here is a look at the Golden Hurricanes and whether they can make a run at the Big Dance.

In their first four years in the American Athletic Conference under head coach Frank Haith, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane has finished as high as 2nd in their first year in 2014-15 and as low as 7th in 2016-17. Tulsa finished fourth last season with an overall record of 19-12 and 12-6 conference record, despite finishing in the top four in three of their four seasons, they have also failed to make it out of the AAC quarterfinals on three of those four seasons.

With perennial conference contenders Cincinnati and Wichita State facing a bit of regression due to graduation and departures and higher expectations for the likes of Memphis and Central Florida, the Golden Hurricane will still have a battle on its hands if they want to stay among the conference’s top teams.

Haith returns three of his top five point producers from last season to give the 2018-19 squad a good foundation to build on. In fact, the roster has a good mix of experienced returning players and some newcomers who could make an immediate impact for a team that was one of the better defensive teams in the country allowing opponents to shoot just 42% last season and their nearly 38 rebounds per game placed them in the nation’s top 62 teams.

With the team looking to break into the top of the conference and get past the quarterfinal barrier here is a look at what the Golden Hurricane could look like in 2018-19 and what that means for their season.