American Athletic Conference men's basketball squads went 3-1 on Black Friday (Nov. 27). Tulane and East Carolina opened their seasons with 66-57 wins over Lamar and Charlotte, respectively, while No. 17/18 Houston improved to 2-0 on the year with a 68-58 home win over Boise State.

Tulane 66, Lamar 57 - Box Score

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tylan Pope recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds to lift Tulane to a 66-57 win over Lamar on Friday.

Jaylen Forbes had 15 points and seven rebounds for Tulane (1-0). Sion James added six rebounds.

Anderson Kopp had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Cardinals (0-2). Quinlan Bennett added 14 points and Ellis Jefferson had 12 points.

East Carolina 66, Charlotte 57 - Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Junior forward Jayden Gardner scored 10 of his game-high 18 points in the final six minutes to lead East Carolina to a 66-57 win over Charlotte in the season opener for both teams in the first game of the 49er Tip-Off Classic.
 
Tristen Newton scored 15 points, while Bitumba Baruti and Tyrie Jackson added eight apiece off the bench. The Pirates shot 49.1 percent and held the 49ers to 37.7 percent, outscoring their opponent 40-22 in the paint.
 
ECU had six players grab at least four rebounds led by Jackson's seven. The Pirates were 8-of-10 at the free throw line.

Houston 68, Boise State 58 - Box Score

HOUSTON (AP) – Quentin Grimes had 25 points and eight rebounds, Caleb Mills added 12 points and No. 17 Houston beat Boise State 68-58 on Friday in the Southwest Showcase.

Grimes was 9-of-15 from the floor after scoring eight points on 3-of-15 shooting in an opening victory over Lamar on Wednesday. Grimes scored 17 first-half points to lead Houston (2-0) to a 34-19 advantage.

Marcus Sasser had 10 points for Houston. The Cougars shot 41%, outrebounded Boise State 49-26, and had a 15-2 advantage in second-chance points.

Rayj Dennis scored 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting to lead the Broncos in their opener. Marcus Shaver Jr. added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Mladen Armus had 11 points and six rebounds.

Mountain West preseason Player of the Year Derrick Alston Jr. was scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting. Boise State (0-1) shot 41%, going 1 of 16 on 3-pointers. The Broncos were 15 of 26 from the free throw line.

Houston used a 21-5 run to open up a 32-14 lead with five minutes remaining in the first half. Grimes scored 15 points in the run, including the final 10.

After the Cougars pushed the lead to 20 with 9 1/2 minutes remaining in the second half, the Broncos used a 18-5 spurt to cut it to 57-50 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining.

The Cougars had five players grab at least five rebounds, led by J'Wan Roberts, who had 13 rebounds. Houston had trouble with turnovers, committing 17, and also ran into foul trouble, with seven players committing at least three fouls. The Cougars were 15 of 17 on free throws.

VCU 70, Memphis 59 - Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- D.J. Jeffries scored 17 points and Lester Quinones added 11, but Memphis lost to VCU, 70-59, in the third-place game in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.

The Tigers (1-2) shot 35.1 percent (20-57) from the field, while the Rams shot 43.8 percent (21-48). Memphis forced 18 turnovers, but committed 19.

Vince Williams scored 15 points and led three Rams in double figures.