NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – The Tulane University men’s basketball team defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 97-63 on Wednesday night inside the Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.
The 34-point margin is the largest win since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2014-15.
With the win, Tulane snapped its two-game losing streak and moved to 5-3 in league play for the first time since joining the American Athletic Conference for the 2014-15 season and 8-9 overall.
Sophomore Jaylen Forbes led the way with 24 points and freshman Jalen Cook added 23.
The 34-point victory also marked the largest margin of victory by Tulane in the 33 matchups between the Green Wave and the Golden Hurricane. The next largest margin was 14 points on December 31, 1996.
“I’ve been trying to get consistency for 40 minutes and this was the first time I haven’t seen that letup,” Head Coach Ron Hunter said. “That’s a sign that we are growing up.”
Tulane played a nearly spotless first half. The Green Wave shot 67 percent, including eight-for-twelve from behind the arc, and only turned it over twice while recording seven steals. The hot shooting and +8-turnover margin resulted in a 52-31 halftime lead for the Wave.
The Green Wave didn’t fade down the stretch as they finished the game shooting 60 percent from the field and had a +9-turnover margin.
Kevin Cross led the Wave in rebounding with eight as Tulane outrebounded Tulsa 31-26.
LAGNIAPPE
- Jaylen Forbes made his 39th straight start and scored in double figures for the 33rd time in his career.
- Tulane has made at least one 3-point field goal in 243 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.
- Tonight’s starting lineup of Jaylen Forbes, Kevin Cross, Sion James, Jalen Cook and Devon Baker was the seventh different starting rotation used by the Green Wave this season.
- Cross has now scored double figures in ten straight contests.
- The 52-point half was the most points scored by Tulane in any half since the second half of a home victory over SMU on February 19, 2020.
- With his 23-point effort, Cook surpassed 300 career points.
- The 97 points scored by Tulane was the most of the season.
UP NEXT
Tulane completes its two-game homestand on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 11:00 a.m. CT against Wichita State. The matchup will be aired on ESPNU.
{Press release courtesy of Tulane Athletics}