Tulane drops road game in Tampa

Krystal Freeman scored 17 points in the loss

TAMPA, Fla. – Despite 17 points from Krystal Freeman, the Tulane women’s basketball team dropped its second consecutive game when it fell 73-46 at USF in the Yuengling Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulls (11-7, 2-2 American Athletic Conference) shot 43 percent from the 3-point line and got 16 second-chance points from 17 offensive rebounds in its win over the Green Wave (13-5, 3-2).

Freeman got her team-high 17 points on a 5-of-10 performance from the field plus six made free throws. Also nearing double-figure scoring on the day were Anderson and Sierra Cheatham with 8 points apiece.

Harlyn Wyatt was the team’s leader in rebounding with five and also had three blocks to increase her career total to 94. Maddison Wells and Freeman each had four boards. Kaila Anderson topped Tulane with three assists.

Tulane started the game hot, getting 3-pointers from Freeman and Cheatham to take an 8-2 lead and force USF to take a timeout.

But after the timeout, the game belonged to the Bulls. USF scored the next 9 points to turn a 6-point deficit into a 3-point lead. USF held a narrow 16-14 lead entering the second quarter, but that’s when they took even more control.

Enna Pehadzic started the period with consecutive 3-pointers for the home team, and USF scored the next 6 points as well to take a 28-14 lead before the Green Wave got on the board in the quarter. At halftime, hot shooting and second-chance points helped USF’s edge grow to 40-22. Two Anderson 3-pointers and two Freeman free throws were the Green Wave’s only points in the second.

Tulane never recovered from the deficit as the Bulls went on to win by 27.

Tulane will have a week without a game for the first time since league play started, as the team does not play again until January 26. On that date, the Green Wave will honor Coach Lisa Stockton for her 500 Tulane victories and 25 years in charge of the team as it faces Wichita State at 2 p.m.