Cold Start Dooms Women’s Hoops in 86-71 Loss at Temple

Sunday, January 8

Philadelphia

5 p.m. CT

Tulane University

10-6,1-2American

Temple

2-011-3.American

Tulane

Temple

Cold Start Dooms Women’s Hoops in 86-71 Loss at Temple

Jan 8, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Morgan and Vorpahl combine for 42 points

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PHILADELPHIA – The (-/RV) Tulane women's basketball team (10-6, 1-2) traded shot-for-shot with host (-/RV) Temple University (11-3, 2-0) for three quarters on Sunday evening, but it was a cold shooting start in the first period that set the Green Wave in a double-digit hole that they couldn't overcome, falling 86-71. Kolby Morgan (23 points) and Leslie Vorpahl (19 points) shot a combined 17-of-32 (53.1 percent) from the field for 42 points, marking Morgan's ninth straight game in double-figures and eighth game this season with 20+ points.

"We were just in a bad position after we couldn't' score in the first quarter," Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton stated. "The other quarters we were able to match them but we just didn't come out with the focus we needed to."

Tulane started just 3-of-19 from the field as Temple took advantage and produced a 12-0 run, building a 22-7 lead 10-and-a-half minutes into the game. The Wave's shooting improved, connecting on over 46 percent of their shots for the remainder.

As a result, Tulane cut the deficit to eight points at 22-14, but the Owls continued to match them shot-for-shot, ultimately building a 40-24 lead. Vorpahl kept the Wave within striking distance, going 4-for-4 from the field in the second quarter, scoring 10 points to pull the Wave within 14 at the half.

Later, Morgan, who only had two points at the mid-way mark, scored eight points in a three-minute span in the third quarter, pulling Tulane within nine at 45-36 at the 4:28 mark. However, in the final two minutes of the period, Temple recorded a 9-0 run, building their largest lead of the game at 59-40.

Tulane and Temple continued to exchange shots in the fourth where the Wave edged the Owls, 28-27. Lastly, Tulane, who only had three free-throw attempts in their last game vs No. 22 USF, did not shoot a free-throw in tonight's game until 4:50 on the clock in the fourth quarter.

Up next, the Green Wave will remain on the road when they challenge yet another RPI Top-60 opponent in SMU on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. CT in Dallas.