Men’s Basketball Falls to Towson in Overtime

Saturday, December 21

Washington, D.C.

Noon

Tulane University

8-4,0-0AAC

Towson

6-6,0-0CAA

OT 1

Towson

Tulane

Photo by: Niamh Brennan

Men’s Basketball Falls to Towson in Overtime

Dec 21, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Teshaun Hightower completed a clutch three-point play with 7.5 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game and finished with a career-high 33 points, but the Tulane men's basketball team suffered an 86-82 overtime loss to Towson in its final game at the 2019 DC Holiday Hoops Fest Saturday afternoon.

Hightower shot 9-for-15 overall, made three 3-pointers and connected on 12 of 15 free throws, while Christion Thompson scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half and led all players with a career-high five assists. Nic Thomas added 19 points off the bench and shot 5-for-6 beyond the 3-point arc.

The Green Wave made a season-high 14 3-pointers and committed just eight turnovers, but the Tigers owned a 15-7 scoring advantage on second chances.

Brian Fobbs led Towson (6-6) with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Nicolas Timberlake chipped in 15 points off the bench.

Tulane (8-4) scored the first six points of the game on back-to-back 3s by Thompson and Hightower, but Towson fought back with six straight points to force the first of six tie scores in the first half.

Neither side gained much separation in the opening 20 minutes, but Thompson kept the hot hand early by scoring Thompson 12 of the Green Wave's first 25 points, including three 3s, with the last giving Tulane a 25-22 lead with nine minutes to go.

The Tigers pulled ahead by as many as five, but a late surge by the Wave, capped by a Hightower basket in the paint with 1:34 remaining, sent Tulane trailing by just one, 36-35, at halftime.

Towson extended its lead to eight, 44-36, less than three minutes into the second half, and although consecutive treys by Thomas and K.J. Lawson drew Tulane back within two, the Tigers never surrendered the lead and created a nine-point margin with 10 minutes remaining.

The Green Wave remained within striking distance down the stretch but were unable to get over the hump as the Tigers stayed in front by single digits.

Towson went back in front by five, 71-66, with 54 seconds left in regulation, but that was when Hightower got back on the attack. The Lithonia, Ga., native weaved his inside, drew a foul and converted a pair of free throws, as Tulane got a defensive stop with under 20 seconds to go.

Trailing 71-68, Hightower forced his way into the lane again, drew contact and completed a three-point play to ultimately send the game to overtime.

The Green Wave continued to get to the free throw line early in the five-minute overtime, but missed three of their first four attempts, as Towson made a pair of early shots to jump ahead by five, 78-73, with two minutes left.

A quick 4-0 run capped by a pair of free throws by Jordan Walker drew Tulane back within one, 78-77, with 1:06 remaining, but the Wave were unable to get any closer as Towson held on for the four-point win.

The Green Wave finished the day shooting 25-for-57 (.439) overall and made a season-high 14 3-pointers at a 46.7 percent rate while going 18-for-28 (.643) at the free throw line. The Tigers went 27-for-59 (.458) from the field, 9-for-31 (.290) beyond the 3-point arc and 23-for-26 (.885) at the charity stripe.

Tulane will take a nine-day holiday break before opening American Athletic Conference play at Memphis on December 30. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m., at FedEx Forum and the game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

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