Tulsa 89, Marshall 64

3/1/2008 9:42 PM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -Junior Ray Reese made six three-pointers and scored a career-high 24 points as Tulsa routed Marshall 89-64 on Saturday and avenged an earlier overtime loss to the Thundering Herd.

Sophomore center Jerome Jordan blocked seven shots, giving him 92 this season, surpassing the school record formerly held by Michael Ruffin.

Ben Uzoh dropped in 14 points and handed out six assists for Tulsa (16-11, 7-7 Conference USA). Marshall (15-12, 7-7) also is in the jumbled middle of the conference pack, in which four teams entered Saturday within a game of each other for fifth place.

Tulsa hit its first four shots in jumping ahead 9-2 and stayed hot throughout the first half, building a 48-30 lead as Reese scored 15 first-half points on 6-of-7 shooting. He finished 9 of 12 from the field, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range.

``I'm just trying to shoot confidently and tonight they went in,'' Reese said. ``When I get the opportunity, I'm just trying to knock them down. You've always got to have the attitude that you're going to make every shot.''

Tulsa shot 65.4 percent in the first half and 62.5 percent for the game (30 of 48). Brett McDade had 11 points and four assists.

Markel Humphrey scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead Marshall, which reduced Tulsa's halftime lead from 18 to nine at 57-48 during the first nine minutes of the second half.

Uzoh scored on a conventional 3-point play and Reese nailed one of his treys to give Tulsa breathing room at 63-50, and another 3-pointer by Reese, followed by an Uzoh drive, capped a 9-0 run and made it 72-53 with 5:41 left.

Tirrell Baines had 15 points and Mark Dorris 13 for Marshall, which shot 41 percent and was outrebounded 30-24. The 89 points were the most given up by Marshall this season.