Women’s Hoops Closes Out 2016 with a 61-45 Road Victory at East Carolina

Saturday, December 31

Greenville, NC

1:30 p.m. CT

Tulane University

10-4,0-0AAC

East Carolina

9-5, 0-0AAC

Tulane

East Carolina

Women’s Hoops Closes Out 2016 with a 61-45 Road Victory at East Carolina

Dec 31, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Green Wave defense post best showing on the season

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GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Tulane women's basketball team (10-4, 1-0) will ring in the new year with an American Athletic Conference road victory, dispatching East Carolina (9-5, 0-1) by the score of 61-45. Senior Courtnie Latham paced the Green Wave with 12 points, followed by 10 points from junior Kolby Morgan. Meanwhile, the Wave defense posted its best showing on the year in terms of points allowed and opponent field goal percentage.

"I thought the bench was really good for us and really gave us a spark and some solid contributions," Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton stated. "Courtnie Latham really set a tone at the start of the game. She was really ready to play and focused."

Latham started the game hot, knocking down back-to-back three's to start the game before Tulane suffered from a five minute scoring drought, allowing East Carolina to possess an 18-14 advantage after the first period. However, Latham kept Tulane close securing double-digit points by the 9:19 mark in the second quarter.

By then, the Wave's production on both ends of the court began to rev up. In fact, Tulane outscored ECU 15-4 in the second quarter, holding the Pirates to just one field that occurred with 7:19 on the clock, and scoreless for the last 4:50 of the half. It marked the lowest quarter scoring by a Tulane opponent this season.

The Wave defense continued to smother the Pirates in the third, holding them without a field goal for the final 5:34 of the quarter. As a result, the Olive and Blue outscored ECU 13-6 to build a 42-28 lead.

Tulane then cruised in the fourth quarter, maintaining its double-digit lead throughout. The great bench play continued in the closing minutes when Kayla Manuirirangi put the game on ice with three-pointers at 3:28 and 1:52. All-in-all, the Tulane bench outscored East Carolina's bench, 23-6.

Up next, the Green Wave will match its 11-game home win streak against No. 23/25 South Florida, on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN3.