Tulsa Basketball To Honor Legendary Coach Ken Hayes In Season Opener

The University of Tulsa men's basketball program will honor legendary coach Ken Hayes in the season opener against Northeastern State on Nov. 4th at the Reynolds Center.

Hayes won 391 games during his time as head coach at TU, ORU and NSU. He was inducted into the NSU Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Tulsa Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

Hayes was the head coach at Tulsa from 1968-1975 and ranks fifth on the school's all-time wins list with 117. 

Hayes' first Tulsa team began the year with an 18-2 record and ranked as high as seventh nationally with consecutive wins over No. 10 Cincinnati, No. 14 Louisville and No. 18 Drake, while ending the year third in league standings and in the NIT Championship Tournament.

Hayes returned to his alma mater NSU to coach the men's basketball team from 1983 until his retirement in 1997.

During his tenure, he won 224 games as head coach of the Riverhawks. His 1984-85 team ranked No. 1 in the country for much of the season, captured an Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference title and finished with a 26-3 record.

Tipoff for the game will be at 7 pm on Nov. 4th.