The Green Wave hasn't played since its February 1st victory over the Memphis Tigers, but the program will look to carry that momentum into its upcoming matchup against the Wichita State Shockers.
It's been a quiet week for the Tulane Green Wave on the hardwood.
After a thrilling 78-76 road victory over the Memphis Tigers on February 1st, Tulane has had a bit of a break from the action. The quiet stretch couldn't have come at a better time for the program, as it still has some time to pick up more statement wins and gain some momentum ahead of the American Conference tournament. However, there's plenty of work to be done to get there.
While a win over an established, well-respected program like Memphis is big, it's hard to say for sure that the Green Wave can sustain the success it had in the victory. The team has certainly struggled as of late in just about every aspect. There have been a few bright spots -- Rowan Brumbaugh has put together another incredible season, with Asher Woods making a name for himself as well -- but it hasn't been enough to make up for the fact that the team struggles in just about every area. Tulane seems to lack a "clutch" gene. The bench doesn't contribute nearly enough. The team can never keep up on the boards.
Will the extra week of practice help the Green Wave, or will it make things worse? On one hand, it should be obvious that an extra few days of rest and practice will be beneficial. Student-athletes will have time to rest any minor, nagging injuries, and there can be a greater emphasis on taking time to improve in certain areas.
At the same time, the program hasn't seemed to fix many of its problems as the year has gone on: something that ultimately reflects on the coaching staff's abilities. There's no guarantee that the extra work will lead to any improvements. Plus, even the top teams in college basketball have a hard time knocking the rust off after a few days without competition.
Tulane enters the second half of league play against the Wichita State Shockers, a team that has won four of its last five games and most recently took down the Charlotte 49ers with ease. It's going to be far from easy for the Green Wave to knock off one of the American's stronger teams, but it will benefit from a home environment.
Ultimately, a win over the Shockers would be another huge step in the right direction for Tulane, especially if the team shows improvement in any area throughout the game. It could be enough to help the boys from Uptown make up some lost ground, earn a better seed in the conference tournament and ultimately mark a run at an automatic NCAA Tournament berth. A loss, on the other hand, undoes much of the momentum that the Memphis victory brought.
Tip-off for the Green Wave's game against Wichita State is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, February 8th. The game will be played at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.