Tulane Basketball dominates in final home game of the season

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - In its final home game of the season, the Tulane men’s basketball team defeated the University of Central Florida in a dominant 82-67 win on Thursday night.

With the win, Tulane improved to 13-13 overall on the year, its most wins in a single season since the 2017-18 campaign (14).

The Green Wave grabbed its first home win versus UCF while grabbing its 10th conference win of the season, its most since joining the American Athletic Conference.

Five players hit double-digit scoring figures with Jaylen Forbes leading the way with 16 points, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc and tacking on six rebounds.

Kevin Cross was just shy of a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Jadan Coleman racked up 13 of his own while Devon Baker and R.J. McGee both had 10 points.

Tulane shot 48 percent from the field and shot 88.2 percent from the free throw line, tying its best mark of the season.

The Wave defense held the Knights to a 38 percent clip from the field and 26 percent from three-point range.

The Wave got into a rhythm early with Baker hitting a deep three to start the night. Coleman would come off the bench and pull up for two before hitting back-to-back threes to put Tulane up 20-9. It didn’t stop there as Coleman would hit another three with 1:24 left in the half to put Tulane up 16 at the half.

Tulane wouldn’t kneel to the Knights in the second half as Forbes would step back and sink a deep-three to put the Wave up 42-24 just three minutes into the half. The Wave defense wouldn’t give UCF an inch as they wouldn’t get closer than 15 the rest of the game with Tulane leading by as much as 27.

The Green Wave seniors would get into the action at the end of the game with Scott Spencer hitting a baseline three with just under six minutes left to play. Freret Street was its loudest, however, when student manager turned walk-on Sandy Ryan laid one in with just under a minute left to play getting Tulane’s final points of the game.

LAGNIAPPE

This was Tulane’s first home victory over UCF since joining the AAC.
Jaylen Forbes made his 49th straight start, the most on the team.
Tulane has made at least one 3-point field goal in 252 consecutive games. The last time the Green Wave failed to do so came on Jan. 16, 2014 at home against Louisiana Tech when they went 0-for-14 from outside.
Tulane had five players score in double figures for the 23rd time this season.
Tulane won the turnover battle for the 22nd time this season.

UP NEXT: Tulane returns to action on Sunday, as it heads to Dallas to take on SMU. Tip is set for 2 p.m. CT.

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