Krystal Freeman’s buzzer beater lifts Green Wave to overtime win against Tulsa, 64-62

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane University women’s basketball team defeated Tulsa, 64-62, behind a buzzer beater from junior Krystal Freeman at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.

Tulane (7-8, 2-0) outrebounded Tulsa (5-10, 0-2) 41-36. The Green Wave posted a .451 (23-51) shooting percentage from the field and held the Golden Hurricane to 27.3 (6-22) percent shooting from three. The Olive and Blue logged 32 points in the paint, 14 assists and eight steals on the night.

Freeman gave the Green Wave a 56-54 lead to begin overtime. Tulsa scored twice to take a 59-56 lead with 1:57 left. Freeman knocked down a three from the top of the key to tie the game at 59 with 1:48 to play. Both teams traded blows until the score was tied at 62 with 12.3 seconds remaining. After a miss, the ball bounced to Freeman and she knocked down a jumper from the free throw line at the buzzer to win the game for the Olive and Blue.

Junior Arsula Clark led the Green Wave with 21 points, a career-high seven steals and six rebounds, while Freeman added 20 points and four rebounds. Sophomore Mia Heide logged eight points, six rebounds, five blocks and a career-high four assists.

“I think it’s just great that our team has just found a way to win these past two games,” Green Wave head coach Lisa Stockton said. “I think we’ve really been pressed and different people have made plays. Krystal [Freeman] and Arsula [Clark] made them today. Even in regulation we got a good shot. I’m really proud of them. They made a great play to put it into overtime. We didn’t let that deflate us, and we came out and played really hard.”

Tulane and Tulsa traded buckets to start the third quarter until the Green Wave closed the period on a 7-2 run. The Golden Hurricane led 42-39 going into the fourth quarter. Tulsa was on top 49-44 with five minutes left in the fourth then Clark scored five unanswered points to tie the game at 49 with 2:30 left. Heide hit a layup to give Tulane a 51-49 lead, but Tulsa responded with two of its own and the game was tied 51-51 with a minute left.

Clark hit a layup and gave the Green Wave a 53-51 lead. Tulane got two stops on a pair of Tulsa possessions then freshman Irina Parau knocked down one free throw to extend the Tulane lead to 54-51. Tulsa tied the game at 54 with a three on its last possession and sent it to overtime.

Kendrian Elliott led Tulsa with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Up next, the Green Wave will continue American Athletic Conference play as they host Memphis on Saturday, Jan. 11. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. in Fogelman Arena in Devlin.

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