Box Score NEW ORLEANS – A newcomer-laded UMBC men's basketball team whittled an early 17-point deficit to three points in the second half, but the host Tulane Green Wave recovered and defeated the Retrievers, 89-67, in the opener for both teams at Fogelman Arena.
Newcomers and graduate students
Colton Lawrence and Tra'von Fagan led UMBC's effort with 14 and 12 points respectively.
Junior guard
Matteo Picarelli added a career high 11 points and senior forward
Yaw Obeng-Mensah led all players with eight rebounds.
Kevin Cross and Jaylen Forbes scored scoring honors with 21 points apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF
- Tulane came out on fire, hitting six of their first nine shots from the floor and sprinting to a 14-2 lead at the 15:30 mark. The Retrievers misfired on their first nine attempts from the floor before Colton Lawrence hit a driving layup with 12:35 remaining on the first half clock. Forty-five seconds later, Lawrence buried the Retrievers' first trey of the year to cut the deficit to 21-9.
- Trailing, 36-19, Picarelli came off the bench and knocked down three consecutive treys as part of an 11-2 run to trim the deficit to 38-30 with 2:44 to play in the first half.
- But the Green Wave scored the next seven points before freshman guard Mason Docks fed Fagan for a layup and UMBC went to intermission trailing, 45-32.
FIRST HALF STATS
- Tulane hit 19-of-32 (59.4 percent) from the floor and 5-of-10 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.
- UMBC converted all seven free throw attempts and only committed three turnovers.
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF
- UMBC opened the period on a 19-9 run, capped by a Jarvis Doles jumper to get the visitors to within 54-51 at the 14:22 mark.
- But Tulane responded with a 7-0 run to restore the lead to double digits and a subsequent 12-0 surge put the game out of reach.
40-MINUTE NUMBERS
- UMBC finished the night 15-of-17 from the free throw line.
UP NEXT
UMBC opens the home slate by welcoming Penn State-York to Chesapeake Arena on Thursday, Nov. 10.
