Tulane ends losing skid, downs ECU 81-78

NEW ORLEANS – A 25-point effort from Jaylen Forbes pushed Tulane back into the win column with a 81-78 victory of ECU on Friday night.

Tulane improves to 18-10 on the year and 11-6 in conference play. The conference wins total marks the most for the Green Waveunder head coach Ron Hunter. Tonight’s win was also the 11th home win for the Wave, also the most in the Ron Hunter era.

The big three of Forbes, Jalen Cook and Kevin Cross all reached double figures. Forbes added four rebounds and four assists to his 25-point total while Cook dropped 19 with eight assists. Cross totaled 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

The Green Wave held the lead through the first nine minutes of the game before ECU waws able to steal the lead. The Pirates would only get a head by as much as four with Tulane at their heals through the end of the half down 31-36.

ECU pulled ahead by 11 before Tulane went on an 8-2 run to get within striking distance. R.J. McGee would jam one in to put the Wave up one. The score would be knotted up four more times before the buzzer would sound, but Tulane would get lead tie breaking bucket each time.

In their second game in five days Tulane shot 52 percent from the field going 32-62. Tulane also won the turnover battle 8-14, totaling eight steals in the victory.

Tulane plays its final home game of the regular season on Sunday versus Temple. Ron Hunter looks to get his 500th career win in the Green Wave’s season finale.