Women’s Basketball Advances To Second Round of AAC Tournament With 68-62 Victory Over SMU

Saturday, March 9

Fort Worth, Texas

6 p.m.

Tulane University

11-19,3-15AAC

Southern Methodist University

14-16,8-10AAC

Tulane

SMU

Photo by: Cos Lymperopoulos

Women’s Basketball Advances To Second Round of AAC Tournament With 68-62 Victory Over SMU

Mar 9, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Post-Game Press Conference

Fort Worth, Texas – Kyren Whittington was simply the best player on the floor in leading the No. 14 seed Tulane's women's basketball team (11-19) to a 68-62 victory over No. 11 seed SMU (14-16) in the First Round of the American Athletic Conference's Tournament on Saturday night at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. Whittington scored a game-high 28 points for the Green Wave in the win. The victory snapped the program's eight-game losing streak coming into the tournament.

Whittington took over the game in scoring her 28 points including 17 points in the pivotal third quarter. She shot 10-for-15 from the field, 4-for-7 from three-point range and 4-for-6 from the line. Whittington also totaled four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Amira Mabry chipped in with 16 points, three rebounds and an assist. Irina Parau totaled 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Marta Galic recorded 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kaylah Rainey chipped in with a basket, four rebounds, five assists and three steals. Hannah Pratt totaled a rebound, an assist, and a steal.

SMU put three players in double figures and were led by 17 points from Tiara Young.

The game only featured one lead change and three tied scores as SMU led for the entire first half and part of the third quarter until Tulane took the lead for good on a pair of free throws from Whittington with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter. Tulane shot 45 percent from the field (27-for-60), 33.3 percent from three-point range (9-for-27) and 55.9 percent from the free throw line (5-for-9). The Green Wave totaled 28 rebounds, 17 assists, 10 steals and three blocks. The team led 19-17 in points off turnovers, 9-5 in second chance points and 9-4 in fast break points. Tulane's largest lead was 15 points in the fourth quarter.

SMU shot 49.1 percent from the field (27-for-55), 30.8 percent from three-point range and 66.7 from the free throw line (4-for-6). The Mustangs had 35 rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and three blocks.

After falling behind 11-2 to start the game, Tulane rallied to get to within five at the end of the first quarter, 15-10. The second quarter saw the Mustangs outscore Tulane 17-13 to take a 32-23 lead into the break. Tulane fought all the way back and took the lead in the third quarter, 51-45, in outscoring SMU 28-17. The Green Wave played SMU to stalemate in the fourth quarter as both teams scored 17 points to help earn a thrilling 68-62 victory.

With the win, Tulane now advances to the Second Round of the AAC Tournament and takes on Charlotte on Sunday, March 10, at 8 p.m. at Dickies Arena.

Notables:
The win ended Tulane's eight-game losing streak from Feb. 7 - March 5, 2024…The losing streak had been the longest for the program since 1991…The win improved Tulane to 5-1 all-time in the First Round of the AAC Tournament…The program is 3-0 all-time against the No. 11 seed in the AAC Tournament…The team's record also improves to 3-3 all-time in AAC Tournament Games in Fort Worth, Texas…The team has won at least one game in seven of the 10 appearances in the AAC Tournament…Tulane improved their record to 27-16 all-time against SMU although this was the first time, and will be the last time, that the schools have faced off in the AAC Tournament…The win was just Tulane's third in road and neutral site games this year…The victory was the first for the team overall and on the road since defeating UTSA on February 4 in San Antonio…Kyren Whittington's 28 points was her eighth time scoring 20 or more points this season…It was her fourth game with 25+ points…It was her 22ndd game in double figures this season...Amira Mabry's 16 points was her 20th time in double figures this season and 15th time in the last 16 games that she has reached the mark…Irina Parau's 11 points was her ninth time in double figures on the year and second straight game that she has done it…Marta Galic totaled 11 points…It was her 21st time in double figures this season.

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