Tulane University
TCU
Tulane Men Edged by TCU on the Road, 70-65
Jan 10, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Senior Wayne Tinsley scored a career-high 18 points but it was not enough as Tulane University dropped a 70-65 decision to TCU in Conference USA men's basketball action on Saturday evening at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
Tulane (6-6, 0-2 C-USA) tied the game at 65 when Vytas Tatarunas was fouled on a three-point attempt and hit two of his three free throws with 2:11 remaining.
Marcus Shropshire missed an off-balance jumper for TCU (5-8, 1-1 C-USA) with 1:35 to go and Tinsley was fouled in the rebound action. However, the senior missed both free throws. The Green Wave gained another chance when Tatarunas snagged the offensive board of the second miss, but he missed a follo-wup three-pointer and TCU rebounded with 1:12 to go.
The Horned Frogs' Corey Santee, who scored all 16 of his points in the second half, made a hard drive to the hoop and was fouled, hitting both free throws to put the Frogs on top with 50.4 seconds on the clock. Tulane worked the shot clock down and found freshman Dan Fitzgerald open at the top of the key, but his three-pointer was off the mark and TCU scored on the long rebound with 12.8 clicks to go to make it 69-65. The Frogs added a free throw to account for the final margin.
"You've got to make plays," Tulane coach Shawn Finney said. "We have to make clutch free throws. It came down to who was going to execute; we didn't. This is part of the learning process."
In addition to Tinsley's 18 points, Tatarunas had 14 points and 10 rebounds, his team-leading fifth double-double of the season. Freshman Vincent Camper, who made his first career start, added a career-high 10 points.
Santee's 16 points led TCU, while Shropshire added 15 points and Chudi Chinweze tallied 10 points and eight rebounds.
"You have to give Santee credit," Finney said. "He took his team on his back and took over the game in the second half."
The Green Wave took a 42-39 lead with 17:09 to go on a three-point play from Tinsley, but a hoop from Chinweze and back-to-back three-pointers from Santee and Shropshire put the Frogs on top 47-42 with 16:08 to go.
Tulane quieted the partisan crowd with a 9-2 run of its own, capped by five points from Tinsley, to make it 51-49 with 10:48 to go. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way with a pair of free throws from Marcuis Sloan putting the Horned Frogs ahead 65-63 before Tatarunas knotted the game with his free throws.
Tulane committed a season-low 11 turnovers while forcing 15 miscues by the Horned Frogs. The Green Wave connected on 8-of-18 three-pointers and shot 42.6 percent (23-of-54) from the field. TCU shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the floor, but held a commanding 42-29 advantage on the glass, including 19 offensive rebounds.
"We played well and with confidence," Finney said. "I think we panicked a couple of times and forced bad shots when we needed poise. We have to learn how to win." Next up for the Green Wave is a trip to play nationally-ranked Louisville on Jan. 17. Tulane returns home to host Memphis at Fogelman Arena on Jan. 20. Tickets for that game are available by calling 504-861-WAVE.
