Tulane University
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UTEP
Green Wave Snaps Losing Skid with Victory over UTEP
Jan 21, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2012
NEW ORLEANS - Ricky Tarrant's game-high 22 points, including six free throws in the final minute of the game, guided the Tulane men's basketball to a 66-58 victory over UTEP on Saturday night in Fogelman Arena.
The victory snapped a four-game losing skid for the Green Wave (1306, 1-4 C-USA) and dropped the Miners (10-10, 3-3 C-USA) to 0-6 in road games this season.
"This was a very good UTEP team that had found momentum in league play," Tulane head coach Ed Conroy said. "They have a lot of offensive weapons as you saw tonight. They shot the highest field goal percentage anyone has probably shot on us all year, but we figured that might happen so I wanted out guys to swarm on defense. We played hard and forced 18 turnovers which is a credit to how active our guys where."
UTEP hit 21 of 41 shots from the field in the game, including 54.4 percent in the opening half, but the Green Wave collected 10 steals, forced 18 turnovers and converted them into 19 points.
After a first half that saw eight lead changed and four ties, including 28-28 at the break, Tulane took the lead for good during a 7-0 run early in the second half.
UTEP held a 38-35 lead with after a dunk by John Bohannon with 15:15 left, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Ben Cherry and Jordan Callahan, followed by a lay-up by Josh Davis, gave the Green Wave a 43-38 lead with 13:24 remaining.
The Miners cut the deficit to one less than two minutes later after a pair of free throws by Cedric Lang and a lay-up by Julian Washburn, but Tulane then rattled off an 8-0 run to take a 51-42 lead with 6:46 left.
UTEP used another run, this time 10-2, to cut the Tulane lead down to two with 2:39 remaining, but Tarrant scored on a lay-up and then hit seven free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Tarrant scored 11 points in each half and knocked down 10 of 11 free throws in the game for his third 20-plus point game of the season. Fellow freshman Tre Drye added 13 points and seven boards in the victory, while Davis had eight points and a game-high 11 boards. Callahan had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Tulane shot 48.0 percent from the floor in the game and hit 13 of 24 shots in the second half. UTEP won the rebound battle, 27-26.
The Green Wave completes a two-game conference home strand Wednesday when SMU invades Fogelman Arena at 7 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
- Freshman Ricky Tarrant scored in double figures for the 14th game this season with his 22 points tonight. His 22 points mark his third 20-plus point game.
- Freshman Tre Drye posted a career-high 13 points in tonight's game. It marks his second career double figure scoring game of the season.
- Josh Davis grabbed 11 rebounds, the 10th double figure rebound game of the season.
