NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — Wes Enis scored 25 points and South Florida used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead, cruising past Tulane 97-83 in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Devlin Fieldhouse.

The Bulls (14-7, 4-4 AAC) seized control with a 52-point first-half performance, fueled by efficient offense and a significant rebounding edge, and never let the Green Wave (12-9, 3-5) mount a serious comeback despite a more competitive second half.

South Florida established its authority early, opening a double-digit lead within the first ten minutes and stretching it to 52-39 by halftime. The foundation was built on interior dominance, as the Bulls outscored Tulane 42-28 in the paint and crushed them on the offensive glass, 15-6, leading to numerous second-chance opportunities.

Enis, a guard from Conover, Ohio, led all scorers, shooting 7 of 15 from the field and 8 of 11 from the free-throw line in 30 minutes. He was supported by Joseph Pinion, who added 17 points and four assists, and Adriel Nyorha, who provided 10 points off the bench. The Bulls’ offense operated at a high level, scoring 97 points on just 77 possessions for an offensive rating of 126.6.

Tulane, which shot just 27 of 62 from the field, was led by Tyler Ringgold and Asher Woods, who each scored 14 points. Rowan Brumbaugh contributed 12 points and a team-high five assists, while Luke Rasmussen added 11 points and two blocks. The Green Wave connected on 13 three-pointers but could not offset South Florida’s interior advantages or slow the Bulls’ scoring runs.

The most important stretch of the game occurred midway through the first half. Leading 17-13, South Florida ignited a 12-2 run over a three-minute span to break the game open. The surge included a three-pointer from Pinion, a driving layup by CJ Brown, and a trio of free throws from Enis after being fouled on a three-point attempt. That pushed the Bulls’ lead to 29-15, and Tulane never got the deficit back to single digits.

South Florida’s defense was active, recording seven steals and seven blocks, with Izaiyah Nelson contributing three blocks. The Bulls also capitalized on Tulane’s mistakes, scoring 15 points off 11 Green Wave turnovers.

The second half saw Tulane outscore South Florida 44-45, but the Green Wave could not string together enough stops to cut meaningfully into the lead, which remained between 10 and 20 points for the entirety of the period. A late three-pointer from Scotty Middleton, who finished with nine points, provided the final margin.

South Florida, which entered as a 7.5-point favorite, covered the spread. The combined score of 180 points sailed over the over/under line of 156.

The win gives South Florida its third victory in four games. The Bulls travel to face Temple on Saturday. Tulane, which has lost four of its last five, visits Memphis on Sunday.