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Tulane Green Wave  Hofstra Pride  

Game #9-194: Tulane Green Wave vs. Hofstra Pride December 22, 2012 3:00 pm Brooklyn, NY BBState Stats/Recap

"I was unavoidably detained." - Carl Spackler

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - I was in the bathroom.

My first game of the day at Madison Square Garden had gone a little late, and I had to say goodbye to my triumphant Temple alum friend.

That didn't leave me much time to catch the 3 train downtown, across to Brooklyn and the Barclays Center. I made it just in time for tip-off of Hofstra and Tulane in the first game of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational.





The struggling/undermanned/hapless Pride showed a lot of their nickname in the first half, taking the action to the Green Wave (a battle of singular nicknames, which I hate, but that's for another day). Tulane led 2-0, but wouldn't again for 15 minutes, as Hofstra even threatened to pull away, Moussa Kone's putback giving his team a 25-18 advantage before Tulane finally made some headway. But Matt Grogan's runner with seconds to go meant that we went to halftime tied at 30.

The Pride was battling for their much maligned/embattled/beleaguered coach Mo Cassara despite not having won since all hell broke loose in their program a few weeks back, resulting in four contributors being immediately dismissed. There was little in the first 20 minutes to suggest that the second half wouldn't be a battle as well.



Because I had to move double-time (but not dubstep) over to Brooklyn, there were things I needed to take care of, like eating something (as it turns out, it wouldn't be much, but we'll get to that in the next game) and charging my phone. I left it plugged in until it was just about time for the second half to begin, but then figured it was time for a long overdue trip to the facilities before heading back to my seat.

I wasn't gone that long, but by the time I got back to tunnel of my section, the Tulane crowd (which was much bigger than I expected) was standing. I had heard the roar for Ricky Tarrant's first #superhoop just 20 seconds in, then another a minute later for another Tarrant #superhoop. As I stood waiting for a whistle to run back to my seat, he hit a third. Then Jordan Callahan stole the ball, and found Tarrant, who got fouled.

So I got back to my seat with 17:41 remaining in the game, and an 11-point outburst put Tulane up 41-30. Unfortunately, but these things happen. But in the next 20 seconds, there were two more steals and four more Green Wave points. Before the first media timeout, there were five more, and a 50-30 Tulane lead.

It didn't stop. By the time, Kevin Thomas got an uncontested putback with 11:57 to go, the score on the giant Barclays Center scoreboard read: Tulane 67, Hofstra 37.

"What the hell was that?," I said very belatedly.

For those who struggle with arithmetic, after scoring 30 points in the first 20 minutes, the Green Wave had scored 37 in the next 7:03.

They played the rest of the game, but there really was no point to it, except some stat padding, I guess. Tarrant finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, and five steals to lead Tulane, who - to be fair to Hofstra - looks like it could be a factor in Conference USA in its last go-around before joining the Big East, or whatever remnants remain of that conference next season.

(This article was interesting from Jerry Beach, in which Tulane players and coaches aren't even allowed to comment on the conference realignment shenanigans, even though they're obviously the ones most affected by said realignment.)

Cassara tried to stay positive throughout the collapse, but the body language was not good from his team, and Tulane got more than a couple easy baskets. How could it be, really? They've dropped seven straight and just lost Jamal Coombs-McDaniel for the season to injury to go with all their other problems. At 3-9, all Hofstra's wins came within 48 hours of each other, and all at home.

Really, what choice does Cassara have but to be positive at this point? Conference play begins in a couple of weeks, the Colonial is not as strong as it has been, who knows?

I certainly don't, but I do know I'm timing my bathroom breaks better next time.

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