Tulsa Aims to Extend Hot Start Against Struggling Arkansas-Pine Bluff TULSA, Okla. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in early-season fortunes will be on display Wednesday when the surging Tulsa Golden Hurricane host the reeling Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in a nonconference men’s basketball game at the Donald Reynolds Center. Tulsa (8-1) has been one of the nation’s early surprises, with its lone blemish a one-point road loss to Kansas State on Nov. 17. The Golden Hurricane are coming off a dominant 98-74 home victory over Missouri State on Saturday, where they shot 56.7% from the field. Coach Eric Konkol’s squad has shown balance, with guard Myles Rigsby averaging 9.2 points in efficient minutes and David Green adding a team-high 17 points off the bench in the last outing. Conversely, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-9) has faced a brutal opening slate, playing all 10 of its games on the road. The Golden Lions snapped a seven-game skid with a 63-62 win at Illinois-Chicago on Dec. 3 but fell 76-72 at DePaul last Saturday. First-year coach Solomon Bozeman’s team has struggled defensively, allowing 90.7 points per game. The matchup features a compelling individual duel at guard. Tulsa’s Rigsby provides steady backcourt play, while UAPB is fueled by the dynamic Quion Williams. The senior is averaging 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists, coming off a 27-point, 8-assist performance against DePaul. Containing him will be a key focus for Tulsa’s defense. The Golden Hurricane have excelled at home, winning all five contests in Tulsa by an average margin of 33.4 points. Arkansas-Pine Bluff hopes its tough road schedule has prepared it for an upset bid before it finally plays a home game on Dec. 15. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Wednesday. Tulsa will look to maintain momentum before a neutral-site game against New Mexico State on Saturday, while UAPB continues its marathon 11-game road trip to open the season.