NEW ORLEANS, LA — Jalen Adams scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half as Connecticut defeated Tulane, 67-57, in an American Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon.
Christian Vital scored 13 points for the Huskies (10-2, 3-2 American) and Josh Carlton had 10 points and six rebounds as UConn had a 35-26 rebounding advantage.
Melvin Frazier led the Green Wave (11-6, 2-3) with 16 points, Cameron Reynolds scored 13 and Ray Ona Embo had 12.
UConn led by eight points at halftime, but Ona Embo scored five consecutive points that helped Tulane start the second half on an 8-1 run.
Adams’ jumper and steal and layup pushed the Huskies lead to 37-32.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Adams and Terry Larrier completed a 9-0 run that gave UConn a 53-41 lead with nine minutes remaining.
The Green Wave crept within nine points, but Adams then scored twice on drives to put the Huskies back in command.
When Tulane cut the deficit to eight with more than a minute to play, UConn ran down the clock and Adams drove in for a layup just before the shot-clock buzzer with 43 seconds left.
UConn opened an 11-2 lead as Tulane failed to make a field goal during the first 4½ minutes.
Once Ona Embo ended the drought by making a jumper, the Green Wave heated up. They went on a 12-4 run, thanks in part to two 3-pointers by Reynolds, to get within 15-14.
Frazier’s dunk gave Tulane its first lead, 20-19, and the score was tied at 22 before the Green Wave went cold again.
Vital made a 3-pointer and scored on a drive during an 8-0 run during the last four minutes that gave the Huskies a 30-22 halftime lead.
BIG PICTURE
UConn: Won its third consecutive game, prevailing on an opponent’s home court for the first time in four games this season.
Tulane: Lost for the third time in four games, falling for just the second time in 10 home games.
UP NEXT
UConn: The Huskies travel to face Memphis on Tuesday.
Tulane: The Green Wave will stay at home and face Houston on Wednesday.
