Tulane Rolls to Victory over Samford, 85-72
The Tulane Green Wave basketball team opened its season against Samford in Fogelman Arena Monday night with an 85-72 victory over the Bulldogs
The Dogs made the NCAA tournament last year, ranking 13th in the west. They would lose in the first round to No. 4 Kansas 93-89.
Shake it Off
The game began with both teams struggling to score the ball. After shaking the jitters, both teams ramped up for an entertaining first half.
All-conference guard Rowan Brumbaugh looked like the main priority for the Bulldog defense, as every time he possessed the ball, it seemed as though he’d pull the defenders right to him. Although he couldn’t shake his man, Brumbaugh seemed to have another gravitational pull for his rebounding game. In the first half alone he racked up a team-leading five boards.
The zone defense the Wave ran was effective in holding back the Bulldogs, only shooting 38% from the field and 33% from three in the first half.
Curtis Williams and Asher Woods led the team in scoring with 14 a piece. It would be a very efficient half for the Wave, shooting 52% from the field and an impressive 50% from long-distance. The Green Wave’s suffocating defense provided six steals and three blocks to take possessions away from the Bulldogs.
End of First Half: Tulane 43-33 Samford
Putting a Leash on the Dogs
The Wave would see continued success on both sides of the court in the second half. Guards Asher Woods and Curtis Williams Jr. would lead the charge offensively; Woods would score 24, while Williams Jr. would finish with 22. Williams Jr. also finished the game with a perfect 100% shooting percentage, shooting 9 for 9 from the field, 4 out of 4 from three-point range.
This effective offense was only possible due to the crashing Wave defense. TU would finish with ten total steals, lead by guard Rowan Brumbaugh with five. They also just seemed to get a hand on about every other shot, finishing with six total blocks lead by Tyler Ringgold with three.
The Bulldogs' struggles don't end there, as they had eleven turnovers to end the game. Tulane would not let this opportunity pass, finishing the game with 24 points off of turnovers compared to the Bulldogs' five
Final: Tulane 85-72 Samford
The Wave will play their next game this Saturday, November 8th, at 1:00pm in Fogelman. Their opponents will be the Texas State Bobcats, who are fresh off a 83-48 loss to Bowling Green.
Colin has been following football for over a decade. Growing up supporting LSU naturally led him to be a massive Saints fan. He is a regular guest on the Ball Don’t Lie podcast on WBOK-AM in New Orleans as well as Apple Podcasts, where they discuss the NFL, College Football, and the NBA.