NEW ORLEANS - Tulane charged out of the gates
in the second half with a 17-0 run on its way to a 86-52 season-opening victory
over the ULM women's basketball team on Friday night inside Fogelman Arena.
Tulane (1-0) had a hot hand in the entire
contest, but it was its 62.5 second half field goal percentage,
compiled with 26 ULM turnovers that propelled them to a win. Overall, the Green
Wave outscored the Warhawks 50-18 in the paint, along with a 34-14 advantage in
scoring off turnovers.
Sannisha Williams led ULM (0-1) with 12
points, to go along with nine rebounds. Priscilla Mbiandja, playing in her first
contest with the Warhawks, scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Shannon
Davis also grabbed 10 boards in the contest.
Chassity Brown led four Green Wave players in
double-figures with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. Brett Benzio
recorded the games only double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Olivia
Grayson chipped in seven points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists off the Tulane
bench.
Tulane opened the contest by making its first
6-of-7 seven field goals, prior to the first media timeout, to build a 12-4 advantage.
While the Green Wave was making a run, the Warhawks started off cold from the
field, making only two of their first nine attempts.
The Green Wave continued its hot shooting by
pounding the ball into the paint to build a comfortable double-digit lead,
27-16, with 6:51 on the clock. ULM responded with a quick 7-0 run, which was
started by an Elizabeth Torres 3-pointer, to get within four, 27-23, with just
over five minutes to play in the opening period.
Williams led the Warhawks at the half with 10
points and eight rebounds. At the intermission it was the Green Wave's 14-6
scoring advantage off turnovers that gave them a 35-29 lead. Tulane was led by Brown's
14 points. ULM outrebounded Tulane 24-16 in the opening period, but it was the
Green Wave's 20-12 scoring advantage in the paint that led to their lead.
Tulane charged out of the gates in the second
period with back-to-back 3-pointers by Indira Kaljo and Brown on its way to
building a 23-point lead, 52-29, with 14:48 to play in the game. Williams answered
with a jumper from the free throw line to end a Warhawk 6:04 scoring drought to
open the second half.
The Green Wave continued to build their lead in
the second period, to as many as 35, as they finished 20-for-32 from the field,
good for 62.5 percent. ULM on the other hand, wasn't able to find its shooting stroke
as it finished 7-for-32 from the field in the second half and 20-for-62 (32.3
percent) in the contest.
ULM continues its three game season-opening
road trip with a 7 p.m. matchup with Texas State on Tuesday. The Warhawks home
opener in Tuesday, Nov. 24, against Centenary at 5:15 p.m. Tickets are
available by contacting the ULM Ticket Office at 318-342-3ULM.
