Tulane Closes Out Strong to Win at MTSU, 81-78

Wednesday, December 9

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

Tulane University

3-1,0-0AAC

MTSU

-02,00 CUSA

Tulane

Middle Tennessee

Tulane Closes Out Strong to Win at MTSU, 81-78

Dec 9, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Pierce Feltner

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Tulane women's basketball team scored 26 points in the fourth quarter to win at Middle Tennessee State (MTSU), 81-78, on Wednesday.

Tulane (3-1) shot 43.3 (29-67) from the field and 36.7 (11-30) from three, while holding MTSU to 34.4 (22-64) from the floor and 29.0 (9-31) from three. The Green Wave logged 41 rebounds, 15 assists and four blocks in the game. Freshman Jerkaila Jordan led the Olive and Blue with a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Junior Dynah Jones added 18 points, while sophomore Irina Parau logged 11 points on 4-5 shooting from the field and 3-3 from three.

"I give MTSU a lot of credit," Green Wave head coach Lisa Stockton said. "They came off a game against Belmont where they didn't shoot very well and they didn't shoot free throws very well, but they definetly fixed that tonight. It was a good win for us. MTSU was picked No. 1 in Conference USA. That is a really good win here."

Both teams traded runs to open the second half until MTSU tied the game at 53-53 with 2:37 left in the third quarter. The Blue Raiders then went on a 9-2 run to take a 62-55 lead into the fourth quarter.

Tulane opened the fourth quarter hot going on a 14-4 run in the first five minutes to take a 69-66 lead. MTSU hit a three to tie the game at 69 with 4:56 left in the game. After two free throws from senior Arsula Clark, MTSU hit a three to take a 72-71 lead.

Sophomore Irina Parau then hit a three to give Tulane a two-point lead. After two free throws from the Blue Raiders and one from Jordan, Parau hit another three to give the Green Wave a 78-74 lead with 2:39 to play. MTSU tied the game at 78 with 38 seconds to play. Clark grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on a shot with 26 seconds remaining. She hit both of her free throws and Jordan hit one from the charity stripe to set the final score at 81-78.

Senior Sierra Cheatham added 11 points and four rebounds, while fellow senior Krystal Freeman snagged a team-high eight rebounds and chipped in eight points.

The Blue Raiders opened the game with an 8-0 lead, but the Green Wave responded with a 12-3 run capped off by back-to-back threes from Jordan and Cheatham to take a 12-11 lead with 4:28 left in the first. MTSU closed the quarter on a 15-5 run to take a 26-17 lead into the second period. MTSU led 35-24 then Tulane closed the half on a 14-1 run to take a 38-36 lead into halftime. Jones fueled the run for the Green Wave with seven points over the five-minute span.

Jordan was the top scorer for the Green Wave in the first half with 11 points, while Jones added nine and Cheatham logged eight. Tulane shot 44.1 percent from the field in the first half, while holding the Blue Raiders to 29.4 percent from three.

Anastasia Hayes led MTSU with 27 points, while her sister Aislynn added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Raiders.

The Green Wave will finish up the five-game road trip as they open conference play at UCF. Tulane will travel to Orlando to play the Knights on Dec. 15.

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