Tulane University
Global Sports (Exhibition)
Men's Basketball Edged by Global Sports
Nov 7, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2000
NEW ORLEANS, La. - A last second three-pointer for junior Linton Johnson (Chicago, Ill.) was off the mark and Global Sports escaped Fogelman Arena with an 84-81 victory over Tulane University in exhibition men's basketball action on Tuesday evening.
Johnson and sophomore Brandon Spann (New Orleans, La.) both recorded double-doubles for the Green Wave. Johnson notched 21 points, including a pair of crowd-pleasing slam dunks, and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Spann also scored 21 points to go with a game-high 11 assists.
Tulane jumped out of the gate, showing off the new up-tempo, three-point shooting offense implemented by first-year coach Shawn Finney. The Green Wave scored the first eight points of the contest and built a 27-8 lead with 12:15 remaining in the first half. However, Global countered with its bench, which scored 27 of its 37 first-half points, pulling within seven at the break at 44-37.
The Green Wave was hampered throughout by foul trouble for Johnson and senior Ledaryl Billingsley (Chicago, Ill.). The duo combined to play just 37 minutes in the game, with Billingsley limited to six points and three rebounds in 13 minutes of action.
Global Sports snagged its first lead of the game with 15:12 remaining when Schea Cotton nailed a three-pointer, making it 49-48. The lead fluctuated until a pair of free throws from Kevin Norris broke a 66-66 tie with 7:39 to go, giving Global the lead for good. Norris, who played at Miami, and Cotton (Alabama) combined to score 14 of Global's final 18 points.
After Global built a six-point advantage at 77-71 with 4:10 to go, the Wave rallied. A jumper from freshman Wayne Tinsley (Fontana, Calif.) and a Johnson three-pointer sandwiched around one Global free throw to make it 78-76 with 2:57 remaining. Cotton hit one more free throw, but then a costly turnover by Tulane set up Norris, who nailed a long three-pointer, making it 82-76 with under two minutes remaining. Johnson, who scored Tulane's final eight points, had a tip-in and then a high-arcing three-pointer of his own to make it 82-81 with 44 clicks remaining. However, Cotton knocked down a jumper as the shot clock wound down and Johnson's final effort was off the mark.
Tulane placed four players in double figures as sophomore Brandon Brown (Houma, La.) added 15 points (and eight rebounds) and Tinsley scored 14.
The Green Wave returns to action on Saturday at noon, hosting Vasda in its final warm-up for the regular-season slate, which opens on Nov. 17 against Nicholls State. Saturday's exhibition will be followed by Green Weave football at 5 p.m. at the Superdome against Navy.
