MBB: Tulane set to face second-seed Houston
Mar 11, 2016 | Men's Basketball
| Game 33: Tulane Green Wave (11-21, 3-15) vs Houston Cougars (22-8, 12-6) | |
| When | Friday, March 11, 2016 | 6 p.m. CT |
| Where | Orlando, Fla. | Amway Center |
| Watch | ESPNU- Allen Bestwick (pxp), Tim Wlesh (a) |
| Listen | Fox Sports 1280 AM - Todd Graffagnini (PxP) |
| Gameday Info | Tulane Gameday App (iPhone & Android) |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Game Notes | Tulane | American | Houston |
| Social Media | @GreenWaveMBB  | #RollWave | @UHCougarMBK |
ORLANDO -- The Green Wave advanced to the second round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament and are set to take on the second-seeded Houston Cougars Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. This is the second straight season the two teams have met in the post season.
NOTEWORTHY - This marks the third meeting with the Cougars this season and the second straight season the two teams have met in the conference tournament.
- The Green Wave snapped a five-game skid with their first-round win over UCF.
- This was the first post-season win for Tulane since the 2013-14 season (North Texas, 66-61, CUSA Tournament).
- The last time Tulane put together back-to-back post-season wins was in the 1996 NIT.
- Louis Dabney is currently 10th on Tulane's all-time scoring list, joining the elite company on Senior Day. He now has 1,447 points and is 15 points shy of ninth all-time.
-Sophomore Dylan Osetkowski notched his 11th double-double of the season after making it four in a row with 18 points and 12 rebounds against ECU.
- Louis Dabney earned American Conference Honor Roll accolades for the second time this season after matching a career high with 32 points at ECU and scoring 17 in the overtime win against Memphis.
- The triple-overtime win at ECU marked the first time in program history Tulane has won a 3+ OT game.
- Double-doubles from Cameron Reynolds and Dylan Osetkowski at ECU marked the first time in the Conroy Era two players have had a double-double in the same game.
THE OPPONENT
The Cougars enter the second-round game well rested, as their last time on the court was a 69-56 win over Cincinnati at home on Thursday, March 3. The Cougars earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament and have won nine of their last 11 games. Senior Devonta Pollard has helped lead the way for the Cougars this season and was recently named to the all-conference second team. Damyean Dotson earned conference honorable mention and Galen Robinson, Jr., was named to the league's all-rookie team.
THE SERIES
Friday marks the 36th all-time meeting between Houston and the Green Wave. The Cougars hold the slight edge, 19-16, after the two teams met three times a season ago, as well as twice this season. Tulane held a 1-2 record against the Cougars last season, including a 66-60 loss in the opening round of the American Conference Tournament. Earlier this season the Green Wave fell to the Cougars, 63-45 on the road and later dropped an 82-69 contest in New Orleans. This is the second straight season the two teams have met in the AAC Tournament and the fourth time they have met in the post season.
LAST TIME OUT
Tulane put together a 13-3 run just inside the midway point in the first half to go up nine with two minutes until halftime. Von Julien scored nine of his 11 points in the first half to help Tulane to a 29-21 lead at the break. The Green Wave led for nearly the entire second half, but UCF kept it within two possessions the entire period. A 10-0 run by the Knights gave them the lead with under five minutes to play, but Malik Morgan and Cameron Reynolds responded for Tulane, combining for 10 straight points, and the Green Wave never trailed again. Despite being out-rebounded, Tulane outscored UCF in the paint 36-22.
TULANE IN THE POST SEASON
The Green Wave picked up their first post-season win since topping North Texas 66-61 in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament in 2014. The last time Tulane earned back-to-back postseason wins was in the 1996 NIT. The Green Wave made it three straight wins (Auburn, 87-73ot; Minnesota, 84-65; Illinois State, 83-72) before falling to Nebraska in the semifinals of the tournament.
LIMITING MISTAKES
Tulane has been playing some of its cleanest basketball late in the season, limiting itself to 10-or-fewer turnovers in the five of the last six games. The Green Wave have kept their total in single digits in three of those outings.
SENIOR DAY
Senior Louis Dabney will leave his mark in the Tulane record book and will finish among the top 10 all-time scorers in program history. After becoming the 35th player at Tulane to score 1,000 points in the first game of his senior season, Dabney is currently sitting at 10th with 1,447. The New Orleans native is the all-time leader in games played (129), and is 10th with 14 career 20-point games. Dabney will also finish his career ranking in the top six all-time at Tulane in made threes (146), and made free throws (381).
