Tulane University
TCU
Green Wave Wins Thriller at Fogelman
Feb 14, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 14, 2004
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Freshmen stepped up on Senior Day at Tulane University, but it was a sophomore who hit the game-winning shot as Vytas Tatarunas scored on a half hook from the left block to lift the Green Wave to a 67-66 victory over TCU in Conference USA men's basketball action on Saturday evening at Fogelman Arena.
TCU (9-12, 5-5 C-USA) took a 66-65 lead with 35 seconds to go on a Marcus Shropshire three-pointer and Tulane (10-11, 3-7) came back with a three-point attempt by Tatarunas from the corner. When the shot was off the mark, the loose ball was knocked out of bounds by the Horned Frogs. The Wave capitalized on the second opportunity as freshman Dan Fitzgerald found Tatarunas on the block and he hit what proved to be the game-winner with 5.7 seconds remaining.
"You have to give Vy credit," Tulane coach Shawn Finney said. "He was on the bench for almost 10 minutes, but he came in and made the big shot."
Tatarunas had come in the game with 1:26 to go after Quincy Davis fouled out.
The Horned Frogs had a final chance and Shropshire had a split second of daylight against tough Wayne Tinsley defense. However, freshman Kory Castine contested the 16-footer and the shot hit rim and bounced away as time expired.
Tulane trailed by as many as 16 points in the game and 15 in the second half, but Fitzgerald and classmate Vincent Camper led the Wave back. In the second half, Fitzgerald scored seven points with two rebounds and two assists while Camper scored all eight of his points to go with two boards and two assists while running Tulane's attack.
"Our freshmen have grown up," Finney said. "After we got a couple of wins, it boosted our confidence and made us believe in ourselves."
After shooting 31.3 percent (10-of-32) in the first half, Tulane buried 51.7 percent (15-of-29) of its second-half attempts. The Wave also held a 22-15 advantage on the glass in the second in which it outscored the Frogs, 43-33.
"TCU was an aggressive team in the first half, they were physical and we played kind of soft," Finney said. "But you have to give our guys credit, for 30 minutes TCU took it to us, but then we found five guys who came out, played hard, defended and down the stretch made big play after big play and big shot after big shot."
Tulane, which won its third straight game, had four players in double figures for the third game in a row. The Green Wave is 7-1 when four players hit double digits.
Davis led the Wave with 14 points (6-of-6 shooting) and nine rebounds. Tinsley, Fitzgerald and Tatarunas each tallied 10 points. Camper finished with eight points and a career-best six assists.
The Wave trailed 57-45 with 8:25 to go, but then used a 14-1 run to roar back and take its first lead since the early minutes of the game. Fitzgerald started the run with a jumper and then Quincy Davis scored and was fouled on a putback, converting the free throw to make it 57-50. Both teams proceeded to miss three straight shots, but on the Wave's third miss, Camper snagged the rebound, but missed a follow-up, and Fitzgerald soared for the offensive board and putback with a foul. His free throw made it 57-53.
TCU's Femi Ibikunle hit one free throw but missed the second and fouled Fitzgerald who had the board. The freshman swished both foul shots to make it a three-point game. Another Horned Frog miss was followed by Camper scoring on a determined drive and the Wave was within one.
TCU did not attempt a shot from inside the arc for over seven minutes late in the second half, missing seven three-point attempts. After Corey Santee missed the seventh three of the stretch, Camper rebounded and was fouled, converting both free throws to put the Wave on top, 59-58.
The Horned Frogs were back on top after a Nucleus Smith three, but Ben Benfield nailed a three of his own to make it 62-61 in favor of the Wave with two minutes to go. TCU's Chudi Chinweze came back with a basket in the paint to make it 63-62 with 1:28 to go, but Wayne Tinsley beat his man on the baseline and came up with a big three-point play to make it 65-63 with 1:07 to go.
Shropshire then hit his key three, but Tatarunas clinched the win with his late hoop.
TCU was led by Corey Santee, who scored 19 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists. However, Santee did not score over the final 12:25 of the game as the Wave, led by defensive stopper Tinsley and Benfield, smothered him. Smith added 12 points while Shropshire had 10.
Prior to the game, the Green Wave's three seniors, George Brown, Marc Siegel and Tinsley were honored. Tulane's first two baskets came on dunks by the seniors as Tinsley drove hard for the opening points and Brown took a dish from Siegel for a big slam.
Up next for Tulane is its longest road trip of the season, a five-day trip to North Carolina and Wisconsin. The Green Wave plays at East Carolina on Wednesday evening followed by a game at Marquette on Saturday afternoon.
