Tulane Green Wave Set for First Matchup With New Orleans Privateers in Nearly Decade
The Tulane Green Wave suffered their first loss of the season last week when they went on their first road trip of the season to play against the Furman Paladins.
While the outcome was a disappointing 75-67 defeat, there were some positives to take away from it. The team’s defensive effort was strong despite a jump up in opponent caliber and they never gave up despite a few double-digit deficits.
While playing the Paladins was a big test, the real measure of how much heart this squad has is to see how they respond to the loss. Can they put it behind them and focus on what lies ahead?
In the early going against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, they did seem to be dealing with a bit of a hangover. But, Mari Jordan helped get the team going in the first half.
In the second half, it was Kaleb Banks leading the way as he scored 18 out of his 22 points after halftime.
That resulted in a 72-57 victory to get back into the win column. Now, Tulane will be looking to start another winning streak as they host their in-state rivals, the New Orleans Privateers, at Devlin Fieldhouse on Friday night.
This is the first time in eight years they are squaring off, per Guerry Smith of NOLA.com.
They enter the contest with a 1-4 record, picking up their only win over the Lindenwood Lions. This is the second game of a brutal stretch of road games, as the Southland Conference squad won’t be playing at their home arena again in 2024.
At least traveling to face the Green Wave can almost feel like a home game playing in the same city they call home.
There are a few keys to keep an eye on when the teams take the court tonight. Most important for Tulane is the health of Gregg Glenn III.
Head coach Ron Hunter apologized after the Bethune-Cookman game for even allowing his junior forward to play. After taking two elbows to the head against Furman, he wasn’t feeling well.
But, doctors cleared him for the game and Glenn was able to talk his way into the lineup. He turned the ball over twice in the first four minutes of the game, as something was off. After six minutes, he subbed out and didn’t return.
Another key to keep an eye on is the defensive performance. Hunter uses a matchup system that includes man and zone principles which isn’t very easy to pick up.
But, credit should be given to his players for the effort they are putting in on that end of the court. Opponents are shooting 31.8 percent against the Green Wave this season, which is the second-best mark in the nation.
They are currently giving up 57.8 points per game and have a defensive rating of 84.2; that ranks 19th and 17th in the nation out of 364 teams.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.