Green Wave Drops Tight Test to Tulsa

Tuesday, January 6

NEW ORLEANS

6:30 p.m.

Tulane University

6-9,1-2American

Tulsa

10-4,2-0American

Tulsa

Tulane

Photo by: Eli Lingo

Jan 6, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Press Conference

By: Wyatt Streett

NEW ORLEANS – Going into halftime, the Tulane women's basketball team led Tulsa 37-26 Tuesday night at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse. However, the Golden Hurricane fought back in the second half and ultimately prevailed with a 76-73 victory as Tulane's last-second attempt to force overtime just missed. With the result, the Green Wave drops to 6-9 (1-2 American) as Tulsa improves to 10-4 (2-0 American).

Both teams shot over 40 percent on the night with Tulane holding a better clip at 46.3 compared to the 41.9 of the Hurricane. The Wave hit just a trio of threes while allowing seven by Tulsa. Tulane won the glass 42-37 with a 12-9 offensive rebounding advantage. Turnovers were tight with Tulane committing just three more, 19-16, but the Wave accrued three more points from giveaways, 15-12. Most of the Wave damage came inside with 48 paint points as Tulsa amassed 34 in the paint.

A new season high of five players scored in double figures for the Wave with Kanija Daniel's 16 points leading the team. She added two rebounds, a pair of assists, a block, and a steal. Mecailin Marshall and Jayda Brown each notched 12 points with Brown tallying a career game. Brown was 6-of-9 from the floor as she put together the first double-double of her career behind her 12 points and 10 rebounds, both marks setting new career bests. Marshall added a trio of assists. Amira Mabry had 11 points, and Dyllan Hanna scored 10. Both seniors just missed a double-double as they secured nine and seven boards, respectively. Hanna put forth three rejections. CC Mays had a balanced night with five points and six rebounds alongside three helpers. Kendall Sneed quarterbacked the offense with seven assists, her third consecutive contest with six or more helpers.

Tulsa won the tip and scored first, but Dyllan Hanna responded to tie the game. The Hurricane pulled out to an early 7-2 lead after a three, but Tulane began to chip away. A Mecailin Marshall layup tied the game at 8-8, and a Jayda Brown bucket pushed Tulane ahead. A three flipped the lead once more, but Brown again scored as the lead see-sawed again. Hanna pushed Tulane ahead by four with a layup, but a late three to close the quarter pulled Tulsa back within a point at 15-14.

Hanna and Mays opened the second quarter with back-to-back layups, and Marshall added another score to stretch the lead. Tulsa scored its first points of the frame at the 6:50 mark and added another bucket to pull within three points. Brown hit a jumper at the 6:04 mark, sparking a 12-point Wave run that featured a triple by Kanija Daniel. When Tulsa finally broke back through at the 1:55 mark, the Tulane lead stood at 33-20. Back-to-back buckets stretched the Tulane advantage out to 17 points, a game high. However, the Hurricane ended the half on a run with the last six points, shaving the margin to 37-26.

Those scores seemed to build momentum for Tulsa as the third and second quarters proved to be dichotomous. The first four points of the half belonged to the Hurricane to make it a total run of 10 points. Marshall broke the spell with a three, but Tulsa responded with its own trey. The teams began to trade baskets. Shiloh Kimpson secured a birthday bucket to keep Tulane ahead by six, but six consecutive Tulsa points tied the game at 46-all. Amira Mabry put Tulane back in front with a layup. Tulsa hit a free throw, but Daniel closed the frame with a lay-in to send the game to the final 10 minutes with Tulane in front 50-47.

Daniel continued her run of form entering the fourth quarter, popping a three just 23 seconds in. After trading scores, Tulsa hit a three. Marshall was fouled shooting a three herself, knocking down all three shots at the charity stripe for a harder-earned trio of points. The teams went back-and-forth with neither side willing to budge, and Mabry's layup at the halfway point of the quarter had Tulane ahead by six, 64-56. Tulsa began to chip back into its deficit with a three, but Mabry again scored to help provide some distance. The Hurricane remained hot from deep with another three, and an and-one play brought Tulsa within a point at 68-67 with 2:15 on the clock. Daniel provided a jumper, but Tulsa hit a pair at the free throw line. With 50 seconds on the clock, the Hurricane pulled in front with a layup. Jayda Brown continued her career game with a lead-flipping lay-in with 32 seconds to go. However, with 11 seconds remaining, a three-point play aided in Tulsa regaining the lead and pulling it out to 74-72. On the ensuing possession, Mabry secured a clutch offensive rebound and got fouled, but she only knocked in one of the shots. Off the following foul, Tulsa hit both of its free shots to lead 76-73 with five seconds to go. Tulane put up a three as time expired to try and force overtime, but the shot could not connect as Tulsa held on for a comeback 76-73 victory.

The game proved to be a tale of two halves as Tulane's halftime lead of 37-26 gave way to Tulsa winning the second half 50-36.

The Wave remains home on Saturday, January 10, to host North Texas. Tip-off in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse is set for 2:00 p.m. with the contest streaming on ESPN+.

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