NEW ORLEANS, La. — Krystian Lewis scored 35 points and Tulane pulled away from Nicholls for a 77-63 win Tuesday night, Nov. 10, moving the Green Wave to 2-1 on the season in New Orleans.
Tulane coach Ron Hunter had spent three straight practices working only on defense after breakdowns cost his team in a loss to Jackson State last Thursday, and the extra work showed. The Green Wave held Nicholls to 38.5 percent shooting in the first half and led 35-24 at the break after a 12-0 run turned a 10-9 game into a 22-9 lead. Nicholls answered with a 9-0 burst, but Tulane was back in double figures soon after.
The Colonels did get the margin down to 46-45 in the second half. Lewis, a UL Monroe transfer, responded by scoring 11 points in a little more than four minutes, with a driving shot, a three off a pass from Josiah Moore and then another three and a layup that put Tulane back up 10. Lewis finished with seven rebounds, four three-pointers and a perfect 17-for-17 from the free-throw line, including three foul shots in the final seconds after Nicholls fouled him on a three-point attempt.
It was not quite the 40 points he scored in the season opener against UT Martin, but it was the second-best scoring game of his career, coming after a rough stretch: Lewis was whistled for a technical foul in the Jackson State game for calling a timeout Tulane did not have, and the resulting free throws decided that contest.
Tyler Ringgold added 12 points as Tulane’s only other player in double figures. Joah Chappelle pulled down eight rebounds off the bench, and the Green Wave made nine of 18 three-pointers. For Nicholls (1-2), AJ Dent Jr. scored 16 with seven rebounds, Christian Winborne had 15 and Sheridan Sharp had 13.
Both teams are back on the floor Saturday. Tulane heads to Akron while Nicholls is home against Louisiana Tech.
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