Tulane women’s basketball has been looking dangerously strong over their past couple of games. After struggling to open American Athletic Conference play with a 1-4 record, the Green Wave has bounced back with two wins against conference opponents. A fast-paced offensive game plan centered around passing the ball frequently to get the best shots possible has propelled the team to a 13-8 overall record with the second-best offense in the AAC.

In the 77-72 victory over Tulsa, dishing the rock fast and often was pivotal to the Green Wave’s success. Head coach Lisa Stockton entered the matchup prepared to play fast and hard, keeping pace with Tulsa’s strong offense, which ranks first in the AAC. The team played fierce perimeter defense, holding the Golden Hurricanes to just 9-36 from behind the 3-point line. The team turned that defensive aggression into offensive momentum, scoring 17 points off of forced turnovers.

Tulane’s offense focused heavily on smart passing plays so far this season as they have averaged 16.5 assists per game, the second most assists per game in the AAC. The team topped their average this game with 21 assists, 10 of those coming from point guard Rachel Hakes. While she only scored 5 points against Tulsa, she led the team in rebounds with eight and did not have a single turnover. Hakes, a graduate transfer, has been pivotal to the Green Wave’s success this season, acting as a true floor general for this team.

Marta Galic has been a key piece for the Green Wave’s strong offense. She leads the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game, while also shooting an extremely efficient 40% from the 3-point line. While she struggled from outside against Tulsa, only making 2/10, she exceeded at slashing to the rim and still scored 19 points. After the game, Coach Stockton commended Galic for adapting against the tough perimeter defense and still finding ways to score.

The team later faced off against Temple at home but suffered a 68-59 loss against the Owls. Kyren Wittington exploded for 26 points, while shooting 6-8 from behind the arc. However, excessive fouls allowed Temple to get 13 points from free throws, and the rest of the team struggled to put the ball in the basket.

The Green Wave will head back on the road this Sunday for a matchup against the Houston Cougars, before heading home to host the Cincinnati Bearcats.