CHAMP CENTRAL
HARTFORD, Conn. - Tulsa beat Tulane 66-60 in a back and forth affair in the first round of the 2017 Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament at the XL Center.
Tulsa (15-16) used a balanced attack to beat the Green Wave with three players finishing in double figures. Pat Birt led the Golden Hurricane with 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting and making three of six three-point shots. Corey Henderson had 12 points and Sterling Taplin has 10 for head coach Frank Haith’s squad.
Tulane (6-24) was down by as many seven in the second half before taking the lead, 48-47, on a Cameron Reynolds free throw. Tulsa responded with a 13-3 run to take control.
Reynolds led the Green Wave with 17 points but only shot 5-for-16. Melvin Frazier added 13 points and Blake Paul finished with 11.
Neither team shot well, Tulsa at 38 percent and Tulane at 32.7 percent, and the Green Wave only made two of their last 13 shots coming down the stretch.
Tulsa moves on to the quarterfinals where the Golden Hurricane faces the Cincinnati Bearcats Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.