Tulane Green Wave’s Guards Provide Optimism for Upcoming Men’s Basketball Season
Early projections for the Tulane Green Wave in the 2024-25 men’s basketball season are not very good.
In the preseason coaches poll, the team isn’t very highly regarded. They were voted to finish 11th, tied with the UTSA Roadrunners out of 13 teams. The UAB Blazers and Memphis Tigers are predicted to finish at the top.
The Green Wave didn’t have any players receive recognition for AAC superlatives either. However, head coach Ron Hunter has some optimism about his remade roster heading into the campaign.
Tulane has nine new players who have joined the roster via the transfer portal or high school recruits. The most attention has been on the backcourt, where the Green Wave have addressed their biggest need.
Rowan Brumbaugh, a transfer from the Georgetown Hoyas, will stabilize the position along with freshman KJ Greene, who hails from Atlanta. The two combined for eight assists and only one turnover in an exhibition against Spring Hill College, which Tulane won 86-66.
“I’ve really been here without a true point guard the entire time,” said Hunter, via Guerry Smith of NOLA.com. “Now we have two big-time point guards, and it makes it so much easier for the other guys.”
Last season with the Hoyas, Brumbaugh averaged 8.3 points and 2.6 assists as a freshman, appearing in 31 games and starting 20, playing 22.1 minutes. He also made 37 percent of his 3-point attempts and will be a major part of the team’s offensive game plan.
“He’s good, he’s really good,” Hunter said. “We haven’t had a point guard like that since I’ve been here.”
Last season, the team did not receive the kind of production they were hoping for from Kolby King, who landed in New Orleans from the St. John’s Red Storm but is now with the Butler Bulldogs. As a result, they tried Sion James and Kevin Cross as primary ball-handlers and distributors.
Both had their moments, enough that James transferred to the Duke Blue Devils.
But, being lead guards was not in their wheelhouse. Cross committed 89 turnovers and James, who averaged 2.7 assists per game, needed 15 more minutes to reach the same average as Brumbaugh.
“It’s like playing football without having a quarterback,” Hunter said. “They were out of position.”
Confidence is on the rise for a new-look roster that has a lot of talented players. With improved guard play, Tulane could surprise some people this season.
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.