Tulane University
VCU
Marsh Layup Lifts Wave to Road Victory
Nov 27, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2001
RICHMOND, Va. - A driving layup by Waitari Marsh with just eight-tenths of a second remaining on the clock proved to be the difference as Tulane University won a thrilling, 76-72 battle with VCU on Tuesday evening at ALLTEL Pavilion.
"It was a good play designed by coach for me or Brandon Spann," Marsh said. "Wayne saw me at the last second. My man Ivan [sophomore teammate Ivan Pjevcevic] had been telling me all day it may come down to me so be ready."
Marsh's drive went right at VCU's 6-11 big man L.F. Likcholitov, who tallied eight blocked shots in the game, including two in the final minute.
"He blocked a lot of shots," Marsh said. "But he didn't change our game plan. We kept attacking the basket."
A Ram technical foul for calling a timeout with none remaining allowed Tulane to add two more free throws from Brandon Spann to account for the final margin.
The largest lead of the entire second half was just four points, as both teams traded baskets for the entire stanza. However, with 2:57 to go, Tulane trailed 70-69. The Wave worked the ball into the paint for junior Brandon Brown, who was fouled and converted both free throws for a 71-70 Wave edge.
A miss by VCU was rebounded by Marsh, who was then fouled at the other end of the court with 1:43 to go. The junior point guard connected on one-of-two free throws to make it 72-70. VCU missed another shot, but Likcholitov snagged the offensive board and was fouled. However, he missed both of his free throws and Wayne Tinsley controlled the carom.
As the Green Wave looked to put the game away, Likcholitov redeemed himself, swatting away back-to-back Tulane shots. The Rams raced down court and Domonic Jones nailed a 16-foot runner with 35 seconds to go to knot the game at 72.
Marsh worked the ball into the paint, putting a jumper from the paint off the rim with five seconds to go. The ensuing scramble resulted in a jump ball as Brandon Brown dove to the floor. After a discussion by the officials, possession favored the Wave with 2.8 seconds on the clock.
Tulane called timeout to set up an out-of-bounds play with Tinsley to in-bounds the ball.
"I can't say enough about Wayne," head coach Shawn Finney said. "He did a lot of things for us tonight, even though he didn't score. He asked me in the timeout if he could look for Wat. He showed patience and found him."
Tulane improves to 4-0 for the first time since the 1991-92 season and just the third time since 1961. VCU drops to 3-2 with the loss.
Spann led the Wave with 18 points, while Marsh added 16 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
"Wat was big on the glass," Finney said. "He is so close to a double-double. He was spectacular tonight. He will get better and better as he continues to understand what we want from him."
Nick Sinville added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Brown had 15 points and nine boards. Tinsley scored just one point, but added a career-high 10 rebouunds and five assists.
Tulane led by two at the break, but VCU opened the second half with a 10-5 run to take a 45-42 lead. The teams exchanged baskets for the next 10 minutes, with neither team leading by more than two. A steal and a fast-break pull-up three-pointer by Spann gave the Wave a 67-63 lead with 5:40 remaining. VCU clawed back with a three-pointer from Konstantin Nesterov, but a Marsh baseline runner pushed it back to 69-66 with 4:13 to go. However, a jumper by Jones and an alley-oop by Likcholitov gave the lead back to the Rams, 70-69, with 2:44 to go.
Trailing 11-10 early in the first half, Spann scored five points as Tulane fashioned a 9-0 run to take a 19-11 lead with 11:05 to go. VCU would cut its deficit to two at 22-20, but a 12-6 Wave run pushed it back to eight at 34-26 with 2:57 remaining. However, once again, VCU battled back, chopping the margin to two at the break, 37-35.
Tulane returns to action on Sunday, traveling to Gainseville, Fla., to meet the No. 6-ranked Florida Gators in a 12 p.m. (Central) contest.
