Frazier’s Career-High 27 Points Paces Men’s Basketball Past USF, 94-71

Saturday, February 18

Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse

1 p.m. CT

Tulane University

5-21, 2-12AAC

USF

7-19, 1-14AAC

USF

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Frazier’s Career-High 27 Points Paces Men’s Basketball Past USF, 94-71

Feb 18, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

NEW ORLEANS – Melvin Frazier scored a career-high 27 points to lead six Tulane players in double-figures as the Green Wave defeated USF, 94-71, in American Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.

Frazier shot 10-for-11 from the field, including 3-for-4 from three-point range, while Cameron Reynolds added 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a pair of steals. Ryan Smith chipped in 12 points and seven boards, Ray Ona Embo and Kain Harris scored 11 points apiece and Malik Morgan contributed 10 points.

Tulane (5-21, 2-12 AAC) shot a scorching 33-for-50 (.660) from the field and 12-for-22 (.545) from three, while the team's 94 points, field goals made and threes made were all season-highs.

Geno Thorpe led USF (7-19, 1-14 AAC) with 22 points, as Tulio Da Silva scored 17 points to complement nine rebounds. Luis Santos shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and added 16 points off the bench.

The Green Wave got off to a fast start, creating an early 10-4 lead on a Morgan three-pointer at the 16:34 mark. The Bulls drew within two points, 12-10, on a basket with 14:34 left, but Tulane erupted with a 12-0 scoring run over the next five minutes, capped by a Harris three-ball to build a double-digit advantage, 24-10.

Harris would knock down three triples in just six minutes in the first half, the third pushing the Wave's margin to 18 points with the score 33-15 and 6:17 remaining in the period. A Reynolds conversion from distance with 1:09 on the clock gave Tulane its largest lead of the half and first 20-point lead of the game, 44-24, as the Green Wave took a 44-26 lead into the halftime break – its largest scoring output in the first 20 minutes of a game this season.

Tulane outscored USF, 22-8, off turnovers in the period, while the Green Wave shot a season-high 14-for-21 (.667) from the field, 7-for-12 (.583) beyond the arc and 9-for-13 (.692) at the free throw line in the first half, while the Bulls went 10-for-25 (.400) on the floor, 1-for-8 (.125) from deep and made all five free throw attempts.

Tulane built its lead to 22 points, 60-38, on a layup by Frazier with 14:08 left in the game, but the Bulls chipped away at its deficit and drew within a dozen when a three by Thorpe with 6:41 to go made it 72-60.

The Green Wave punched back one last time however, extending the advantage back to 20 on a dunk by Reynolds with 3:30 remaining to make it 83-63. The olive and blue would close the game with a 9-0 run to snap its nine-game skid and earn its first home conference victory of the year.

Tulane will remain at home to host East Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m., at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.