Men's Basketball Hosts UCF in American Conference Opener

GAME 13: TULANE GREEN WAVE (3-9, 0-0 AAC) vs. UCF KNIGHTS (9-3, 0-0 AAC)
When:	Wednesday, Dec. 28 \| 7 p.m. CT
Where:	New Orleans \| Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse
Watch:	American Sports Network/ESPN3
Commentators:	Ron Thulin (Play-By-Play), Chris Walker (Color Commentary)
Radio:	Fox Sports AM 1280 New Orleans \| Listen Online
Radio Talent:	Todd Graffagnini (Play-By-Play)
Live Scoring:	Sidearm
Notes:	Tulane \| UCF \| American
Tickets:	Purchase Online
Social Media:	@GreenWaveMBB \| #RollWave

NEW ORLEANS - Tulane men's basketball closes out the 2016 portion of its season and begins its third year as a member of the American Athletic Conference when it hosts UCF on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse and the game will be broadcast on American Sports Network as well as available on ESPN3/WatchESPN.

QUICK NOTES
• Wednesday marks the first time the Green Wave will open its league slate at home in the last four seasons.
• UCF (9-3) first-year head coach Johnny Dawkins was an assistant coach at Duke when Mike Dunleavy Sr.'s son, Mike, Jr., played for the Blue Devils from 1999-02 where they won an NCAA title in 2001.

THE OPPONENT
• UCF enters Wednesday's conference opener winners of two-straight and seven of its last 10 games. Most recently, the Knights knocked off Bethune Cookman at home, 71-41, on Dec. 21.
• UCF is holding opponents to 57.2 points per game and leading the nation with a .321 field goal percentage defense. The Knights lead the conference in both categories and rank third nationally in scoring defense. UCF also tops in the league in rebounds per game (45.6).
• Standing 7'6, Tacko Fall is not only the tallest player in the country, but he also leads the nation in field goal percentage (.838) and ranks third in rebounding (12.3) with the latter being tops in The American. His 15.9 points stand seventh in the league, as Fall has seven double-doubles to his name this year.

THE SERIES
• Wednesday's matchup marks the 13th all-time meeting between the Knights and Green Wave, as UCF leads the series, 12-3. The two teams last met in the first round of the 2016 American Conference Championship at the Amway Center in Orlando, where Tulane snapped a 10-game skid against UCF with a 65-63 triumph despite falling to the Knights, 73-65, just eight days prior. UCF has swept the regular-season series each of the last two years, while the Wave's last home win in the matchup came in an 86-80 result on Feb. 14, 2007.

LAST TIME OUT
• In a game comprising 20 even scores and 17 lead changes, Tulane surrendered a game-tying three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining in regulation before suffering a 69-66 overtime loss to Texas State in its non-conference finale on Dec. 23.
• Cameron Reynolds shot 7-for-12 on the day to finish with 20 points and six rebounds, while Malik Morgan compiled 15 points, 10 boards and three assists for his second-career double-double. Ryan Smith poured in 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting to complement a career-high six blocks.

WHO'S ROLLING
• Over his last two games, senior Ryan Smith has scored in double-figures twice and is averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 blocks and shooting 70.6 percent (12-for-17) from the field. His 10 blocks during those two contests were just one fewer than his total through his first 10 games this year.
• In his last five games, redshirt junior Cameron Reynolds is averaging 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He has scored 20 or more points three times and is shooting 50 percent (30-for-60) overall during that span.
• Redshirt senior Malik Morgan is averaging 10.4 points and leads the team in rebounds (7.8) and assists (4.2) per game during the month of December.

SMITH'S BREAKOUT DECEMBER
• In five games during the month of December, senior Ryan Smith has scored in double-figures three times, averaging 12 points on 26-for-36 (.722) shooting in 26 minutes per game. In 90 games and 53 starts during his first three seasons, Smith scored 10 points just one time.

Men's Basketball Hosts UCF in American Conference Opener

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Players Mentioned

Malik Morgan

Cameron Reynolds

Ryan Smith

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