Tulane Green Wave Basketball Teams Prepare for Important Showdowns

The Tulane Green Wave men’s and women’s basketball teams enter their respective games looking for edges in conference action.

Tulane forward Kaleb Banks (1) settles down for a foul shot against New Orleans during the second half of a men's NCAA basketball game at Devlin Fieldhouse in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. | Mandatory Credit - Scott Threlkeld, The Times-Picayune

The Tulane Green Wave men’s basketball team will be at home and will host USF on Saturday. More than 1,000 miles away, the Green Wave women’s basketball team will be in Greenville, N.C., to face East Carolina.

Both teams have opportunities to bolster their standing in the American Athletic Conference.

The Green Wave men (8-8, 2-1 in AAC) will square off with the Bulls (9-6, 2-0), the latter of which is one of two remaining undefeated teams in conference action.

Action at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse is set to start 1 p.m., with the game to be broadcast on ESPN+ and on the radio at 106.1 The Ticket and Heaven 106.7.

The Green Wave are coming off their first league loss, an 81-69 defeat to UAB.

Tulane enters the game 7-2 at home, including a win in its only AAC game at home. This will be the 45th time Tulane and USF has met, with the Green Wave leading the series, 25-18, with a 12-8 record at Devlin Fieldhouse. Tulane won the last game in New Orleans in 2022.

Entering the game, Kaleb Banks leads the Green Wave with 18.4 points per game. Rowan Brumbaugh is the only other Tulane player in double figures with 14 points per game. Banks also leads the team with 8.1 rebounds. As a team, the Green Wave are shooting 44.1% from the field.

USF is led by a balanced offense led by Jayden Reid, who averages 12.7 points per game. Jamille Reynolds and Kobe Knox follow averaging 11.6 and 11.4 points, respectively.

The Green Wave women (10-5, 3-1 in AAC), meanwhile, take on a Pirates team (8-7, 0-3) that offers them a shot to win their fourth league game in five tries as they continue to chase undefeated UTSA and USF in the league standings.

That game is also set for 1 p.m. central

If Tulane wins it will be its best five-game start since 2019-20, as the Green Wave went 6-0 that season.

Tulane is coming off a critical 65-62 win over North Texas earlier this week, a game that sent UNT to its first loss of the conference slate.

Sherese Pittman, who is coming off a huge game against UNT, leads the Green Wave with 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Long-time Tulane star Kyren Whittington averages 12.1 points per game, while Amira Mabry adds 12 points per game.

The Pirates lead the AAC in offensive rebounds per game (15.9), steals (10.5) and turnovers forced (20.9). Amira Joyner stands second individually in double-doubles (six) and rebounds per game (8.9).