WBB to Host Tulane Classic Presented by Embassy Suites
Dec 19, 2015 | Women's Basketball
| Tulane Green Wave (7-3) hosting the 20th annual Tulane Classic, presented by Embassy Suites | |
| Tournament Central | Click Here |
| When | Sunday, Dec. 20: Cleveland State vs SLU @ 3 p.m. | Tulane vs UNCG @ 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21: Consolation game @ 3 p.m. | Championship game @ 5 p.m. |
| Where | New Orleans | Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse (4,100) |
| Tickets | Purchase | $5 end court, $10 side court | Ticket good for both games on that day For more info, call 504-861-WAVE (9283) |
| Watch | Tulane vs UNCG All-Access Stream Tulane's game on Dec. 21 to be made available that morning |
| Listen | WRBH 88.3 FM |
| Live Stats | Dec. 20: | Tulane vs UNCG Dec. 21: | Tulane vs Saint Louis |
| Printable Notes | Tulane | Saint Louis | Cleveland State | UNCG |
| Social Media | @GreenWaveWBB  | #RollWave | Facebook  | YouTube |
NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane women's basketball team (7-3) will wrap up its non-conference portion of the schedule with their annual home holiday tournament, the Tulane Classic, presented by Embassy Suites. The two-day event will begin on Sunday Dec. 20, starting with Cleveland State vs Saint Louis at 3 p.m. CT, followed by Tulane vs UNCG immediately afterwards at 5 p.m. The tournament will then conclude Monday with the consolation game at 3 p.m. and the championship bout at 5 p.m.
Tulane is currently riding a season best four-game winning streak after a 77-48 rout over Southern on Friday night. The Green Wave also improved to 5-0 at home with the victory, and if successful in both tournament games, Tulane can achieve its longest home winning streak since they won eight in a row in the 2011-12 season.
Center Chinwe Duru has been one of the major reasons for the Wave's current winning streak. In the month of December, Duru has averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, while shooting 11-of-15 from the field and 12-of-15 from the free-throw line. Since the Paradise Jam Tournament, Duru has raised her shooting percentage from .515 to .583, which currently leads the team.
The Tulane Classic, presented by Embassy Suites, is now in its 20th year, as it made its debut in 1996. The Wave claimed the inaugural championship which marked the first of what would be 15 total Tulane Classic tournament titles. In addition, over the last two decades, 15 Green Wave players have earned tournament MVP honors.
Tulane leads the all-time series vs UNCG, 3-0, last facing off on Dec. 28, 2002, in New Orleans, where the Wave took it, 63-43. The Spartans enter Sunday's showdown 5-6 on the season and are fresh off of an 81-79 victory over UNO. Senior guard Lucy Mason powers UNCG's offense, ranking third in the country with 24.8 points per game. Mason is shooting 39.4 percent from the floor and 34.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Saint Louis boasts an 8-1 record and have bested fellow American Athletic Conference schools Memphis and Tulsa already this season. The Billikens are averaging 71.3 ppg while dishing out 17.3 assists. Sophomore guard Jackie Kemph leads a trio of double-digit scorers with 15.0 ppg to go along with her 6.7 assists per game.
Finally, Cleveland State rounds out the group, possessing a 3-5 record, in which their three victories occurred over the course of their last four games. The Vikings defense has limited opposition to 62.5 ppg, while forcing 18.9 turnovers. Redshirt-freshman Ashanti Abshaw also leads a trio of double-digit scorers with 15.1 ppg on 41.7 percent shooting. Abshaw also leads the squad with 8.0 rebounds per game as well.
"We always have great competition in this tournament," Tulane women's basketball head coach Lisa Stockton explained. "It's a great way to finish up the non-conference season and it's always a lot of fun."
Tickets for the Tulane Classic, presented by Embassy Suites, are $5 for end court and $10 for side court, and will be good for both games on that day. For ticket information, fans can call (504) 861-WAVE (9283). Also, be sure to follow Tulane women's basketball on Twitter: @GreenWaveWBB.
