Sunday, December 8
Phoenix, Ariz.
12:30 P.M.
Tulane University
vs
Saint Louis
Photo by: Parker Waters
Men's Basketball Meets Saint Louis at Colangelo Classic
Dec 6, 2019 | Men's Basketball
| GAME 9: (-/RV) TULANE Green Wave (7-1) vs. SAINT LOUIS Billikens (7-1) |
|
| When: | Sunday, December 8, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. (CT) |
| Where: | Phoenix, Ariz. | Talking Stick Resort Arena |
| Watch: | ESPN+ |
| Commentators: | Chris Harris (Play-by-Play) & Tom Kuyper (Color Analyst) |
| Radio: | 1280 AM New Orleans | TuneIn App |
| Radio Talent: | Andrew Allegretta (Play-By-Play) |
| Live Scoring: | Statbroadcast |
| Notes: | Tulane | Saint Louis |
| Tickets: | Purchase Online |
| Social Media: | @GreenWaveMBB | #RollWave |
NEW ORLEANS - Riding a four-game winning streak, the Tulane men's basketball team travels to Phoenix, Ariz., for a neutral site clash against Saint Louis in the opening act of the 2019 Jerry Colangelo Classic on Sunday, December 8. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
STARTING FIVE
1. Tulane's (7-1) trip to Phoenix marks its fourth of six total neutral site games on its non-conference schedule, as the Green Wave and Billikens meet for the 25th time in history. The programs are former co-members of the Metro Conference and Conference USA. Saint Louis (7-1) joined the Atlantic-10 Conference in 2005, before Tulane joined The American in 2014.
2. Last time out, Tulane picked up a 61-56 road win at Southern Miss on Wednesday night thanks to a game-high 15 points by Christion Thompson, who also added nine rebounds and four blocks. Teshaun Hightower compiled his first-career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, complemented by three assists and two steals. The Green Wave led by as many as 14 with under five minutes remaining, but the Golden Eagles pulled as close as three inside the final minute.
3. In Tulane's first eight games this season, 515 of the team's 603 points have been scored by newcomers, accounting for an impressive 85.4 percent of the squad's scoring offense. The Green Wave's top four leading scorers are all new to the roster this year.
4. The Green Wave have won the turnover battle in seven of their eight games this season and own a 6-1 record when they do. The Wave are forcing opponents into 18.5 turnovers per game and own a +4.9 turnover margin which ranks 26th nationally.
5. Tulane is getting to the free throw line at a high clip, averaging 23.2 attempts each game, which ranks 68th in the country and fourth among American Athletic Conference teams. The Green Wave are taking advantage of those opportunities, making better than 74 percent of their free throws.
SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
• The Green Wave trails the Billikens, 14-10, in the all-time series.
• The programs last met in St. Louis as co-members of Conference USA, as the Billikens earned a 57-41 home victory.
• Saint Louis also owns a four-game winning streak with its most recent victory coming in a 69-60 home win over Southern Illinois last Sunday.
• An NCAA Tournament team last season, the Billikens were picked seventh out of 14 teams in the A-10 Conference preseason poll.
• Saint Louis possesses two players averaging double-doubles this season, led by Jordan Goodwin's 15.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and Hasahn French's 14.5 points, 10.4 boards and 2.9 blocks per game.
• As a team, the Billikens are shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 32.4 percent beyond the 3-point arc, but just 53.9 percent at the foul line.
BY THE NUMBERS
• 13.6 – In seven victories this season, Tulane is winning by an average margin of 13.6 points per game. The Green Wave have won by double digits five times and by 21 or more points on two occasions.
• 84– In eight games this season, Tulane has shot 84 more free throws than its opponents (186-102) for a +10.5 margin per game. The Green Wave are converting at a 74.2 percent clip, while opponents are making just 62.7 percent of their attempts.
• 182 – Tulane has made at least one 3-point field goal in 182 consecutive games. The last time the Green Wave failed to do so came on Jan. 16, 2014 at home against Louisiana Tech when they went 0-for-14 from outside.
STARTING FIVE
1. Tulane's (7-1) trip to Phoenix marks its fourth of six total neutral site games on its non-conference schedule, as the Green Wave and Billikens meet for the 25th time in history. The programs are former co-members of the Metro Conference and Conference USA. Saint Louis (7-1) joined the Atlantic-10 Conference in 2005, before Tulane joined The American in 2014.
2. Last time out, Tulane picked up a 61-56 road win at Southern Miss on Wednesday night thanks to a game-high 15 points by Christion Thompson, who also added nine rebounds and four blocks. Teshaun Hightower compiled his first-career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, complemented by three assists and two steals. The Green Wave led by as many as 14 with under five minutes remaining, but the Golden Eagles pulled as close as three inside the final minute.
3. In Tulane's first eight games this season, 515 of the team's 603 points have been scored by newcomers, accounting for an impressive 85.4 percent of the squad's scoring offense. The Green Wave's top four leading scorers are all new to the roster this year.
4. The Green Wave have won the turnover battle in seven of their eight games this season and own a 6-1 record when they do. The Wave are forcing opponents into 18.5 turnovers per game and own a +4.9 turnover margin which ranks 26th nationally.
5. Tulane is getting to the free throw line at a high clip, averaging 23.2 attempts each game, which ranks 68th in the country and fourth among American Athletic Conference teams. The Green Wave are taking advantage of those opportunities, making better than 74 percent of their free throws.
SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
• The Green Wave trails the Billikens, 14-10, in the all-time series.
• The programs last met in St. Louis as co-members of Conference USA, as the Billikens earned a 57-41 home victory.
• Saint Louis also owns a four-game winning streak with its most recent victory coming in a 69-60 home win over Southern Illinois last Sunday.
• An NCAA Tournament team last season, the Billikens were picked seventh out of 14 teams in the A-10 Conference preseason poll.
• Saint Louis possesses two players averaging double-doubles this season, led by Jordan Goodwin's 15.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and Hasahn French's 14.5 points, 10.4 boards and 2.9 blocks per game.
• As a team, the Billikens are shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 32.4 percent beyond the 3-point arc, but just 53.9 percent at the foul line.
BY THE NUMBERS
• 13.6 – In seven victories this season, Tulane is winning by an average margin of 13.6 points per game. The Green Wave have won by double digits five times and by 21 or more points on two occasions.
• 84– In eight games this season, Tulane has shot 84 more free throws than its opponents (186-102) for a +10.5 margin per game. The Green Wave are converting at a 74.2 percent clip, while opponents are making just 62.7 percent of their attempts.
• 182 – Tulane has made at least one 3-point field goal in 182 consecutive games. The last time the Green Wave failed to do so came on Jan. 16, 2014 at home against Louisiana Tech when they went 0-for-14 from outside.
HUNTER WINS NO. 450
• It took just five wins and six games for first-year head coach Ron Hunter to reach a new milestone, as he earned his 450th career win on November 24 against Utah at the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
• In his 26th season as a head coach, Hunter ranks 35th nationally among active NCAA Division I head coaches and third in the American Athletic Conference behind only Houston's Kelvin Sampson (619) and Wichita State's Gregg Marshall (508).
HISTORICAL WIN OVER PAC-12 FOE
• In its 110th season sponsoring men's basketball, Tulane's November 24 game against Utah in Conway, S.C., was just its 20th against a Pac-12 Conference program.
• The Green Wave's 65-61 victory over the Utes was their first over a Pac-12 team since defeating Stanford, 56-53, at home on Dec. 19, 1957.
SEASONED COACHING STAFF
• Head coach Ron Hunter has assembled a veteran coaching staff featuring two former NCAA Division I head coaches - Ray McCallum (Ball State - 1993-2000; Houston 2000-04; Detroit Mercy - 2008-16) and Kevin Johnson (Centenary - 1999-2005), as well as Claude Pardue.
• The Green Wave are one of just nine schools nationally to have three of its four coaches currently or previously holding head-coaching titles, along with Pittsburgh (4), Iowa (4), Creighton (3), Michigan State (3), Minnesota (3), Oklahoma State (3), South Carolina (3) and Washington (3).
TULANE INKS TWO EARLY SIGNEES
• Head coach Ron Hunter received two NLI's in the NCAA's Early Signing Period from Jadan Coleman (Madison, Ala.) and Sion James (Atlanta, Ga.) as part of his first signing class.
• A 6'4 wing player, Coleman plays at Bob Jones High School. On the AAU trail, he averaged 9.7 points per game for the Alabama Fusion on the 2019 Nike EYBL circuit. He made 34 3-pointers in 13 games and set the EYBL record with 10 3-pointers made in a 36-point outburst against Team United.
• A 6'5 guard from Lanier High School, James earned Region 8 Class 6A Player of the Year honors and received 2019 North Atlanta boys' all-state first team honors and all-county recognition after averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game as a junior. He led the Longhorns to the Class 6A title and was a 2019 Gwinnett County All-Metro Second Team pick while being selected to the 2019 North Georgia All-Star Basketball Classic.
2020 PAC-12 CHINA GAME
• In an announcement on November 8, the Tulane University and University of Washington men's basketball programs will meet in Shanghai for the sixth edition of the Pac-12 China Game, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2020.
• Tulane possesses one of just five Chinese-born players in NCAA Division I for the 2019-20 campaign in Shenyang native Kevin Zhang. He is also the son of 1992 Olympic silver medalist and former China Women's National Team coach Wang Fang.
NEWCOMER RUNDOWN
Following a roster overhaul, Tulane enters the 2019-20 campaign tied for the sixth most newcomers nationally:
1. TCU 13
T2. Nebraska 12
T2. ECU 12
T2. Utah 11
T5. Tulane 11
T5. Austin Peay 11
T5. Cleveland State 11
T5. Long Beach State 11
T5. Navy 11
T5. Southern Miss 11
SMALL NUMBERS RETURN
• Tulane returns just two scholarship players for the 2019-20 season in Kevin Zhang and Buay Koka. Zhang was the only Green Wave player to appear in the team's final 15 games of last season.
• This season, Tulane is one of just six NCAA Division I teams returning less than 21 percent of their scoring while also bringing back less than 16 points per game. Among those teams, the Green Wave return the fewest in both categories:
1. Tulane (10.8 PPG, 12.2%)
2. Virginia Tech (13.3 PPG, 18.1%)
3. Washington (13.9 PPG, 19.8%)
4. UCF (14.5 PPG, 20.0%)
5. Long Beach State (15.2 PPG, 20.2%)
6. South Dakota State (15.8 PPG, 16.9%)
SEASON TICKETS
Fans can get their hands on season tickets starting at just $75 – a $50 reduction from last year. That means fans can lock up a seat for every home contest for as little as $5 each. Visit TulaneTix.com or call the ticket office at 504-861-9283 to reserve your seats.
All sections are available for purchase so you can customize your viewing experience from your favorite seating location. Discounts are also available for Tulane faculty and staff.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For behind-the-scenes coverage, follow Tulane men's basketball (@GreenWaveMBB) on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
Players Mentioned
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