NEW ORLEANS| After struggling to find an offensive rhythm, the Bulldogs dropped their first road contest to the Tulane Green Wave on the first day of the Tulane Holiday Tournament.

AAMU fought back from a 19-point deficit to come within six of the contests, but a strong defensive effort from the Green Wave kept them in control. Seniors Alisha Wilson and Kalia Walker lead scoring with eight points. Wilson paced the team defensively with 10 rebounds and four steals, while Rittenberry notched a season high nine rebounds. Mailyn Wilkerson and Lauryn Pendleton added seven points apiece on Friday afternoon.

Kyren Whittington paced the Green Wave with a double-double, including 15 points and 10 rebounds, and picked up a team-high four assists. Victoria Keenan added 10 rebounds of her own, and a team high four assists. Sherese Pittman added 11 points on the offensive side of the contest.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Tulane opened scoring but two consecutive three-pointers from Walker gave AAMU the 6-4 lead going into the first media timeout 
• Mailyn Wilkerson sunk a three-pointer of her own before a pair of free throws from the Green Wave ended the first quarter in favor of the Bulldogs, 11-8 
• Tulane quickly narrowed the score then took the lead after going on a 10-2 run to take a 18-15 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the half 
• The Green Wave entered the break with the largest lead of the contest up to that point, 25-18 
• Tulane opened the second half with a no look pass and score 
• The Green Wave extended their lead from a 12-0 run in three and a half minutes (39-20) 
• AAMU scored six unanswered points, four of them from Tulane turnovers, to reduce the host team lead to 11 to end the third stanza 
• The Green Wave maintained control on the contest but went four minutes without scoring, letting the visitors score seven straight points and bring the game within a single digit difference (47-41) 
• The home team scored six unanswered to go ahead 12 
• AAMU scored five more points in an attempt to close the gap, but it would not be enough, as the Green Wave claimed the contest, 53-46

GAME NOTES 

• Alabama A&M shot 21.7 percent (15-of-69) from the field and 16.7 percent (3-of-18) from behind the arc 
• AAMU went 13-21 (61.9 percent) from the line 
• The Bulldogs grabbed 36 total rebounds, 20 of them defensively  
• Alisha Wilson and Kalia Walker lead scoring with eight points 
• Wilson paced the team defensively with 10 rebounds and four steals, while Rittenberry notched a season high nine rebounds  
• Mailyn Wilkerson and Lauryn Pendleton added seven points a piece  
• The Bulldogs finished with 22 points in the paint, 15 bench points, and 20 points from 27 Green Wave turnovers 
• AAMU added 13 steals, compared to Tulane's seven 
• The Bulldogs' largest lead was five, while Tulane had a 19-point control over the contest 
• The Green Wave shot 37.3 percent (19-of-51) from the field, 58.3 percent from the line (14-of-24) and 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from behind the arc 
• Tulane grabbed 44 rebounds 
• Kyren Whittington paced the Green Wave with a double-double, including 15 points and 10 rebounds, and picked up a team-high four assists 
• Victoria Keenan added 10 rebounds and a team high four assists 
• Sherese Pittman added 11 points on the offensive side of the contest 
• Tulane saw 34 points in the paint, added only seven bench points and tallied 14 points from 18 Bulldog turnovers  

UP NEXT 

The Bulldogs continue the Tulane Holiday Tournament and face the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears tomorrow at Noon after they dropped the first contest of the tournament to the ULM Warhawks. The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears are 6-2 this season, falling only to Big 12 opponents Oklahoma State and Kansas State.