NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — Kanija Daniel scored 20 points to lead a balanced Tulane offense as the Green Wave pulled away from North Florida for a 77-54 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Wednesday afternoon at Devlin Fieldhouse.

The Ospreys started strong but were ultimately overwhelmed by the Green Wave’s persistent defensive pressure and a decisive second-half surge in front of an announced crowd of 852.

North Florida capitalized on early Tulane miscues, opening the game on a 6-0 run. Jamisyn Stinson scored on a layup just four seconds after the opening tip, and Georgi Buzzetti added a jumper to give the visiting Ospreys a quick advantage. Tulane settled in, however, and a layup from Jayda Brown at the 9:25 mark put the Green Wave on the board. The first quarter remained a tight, back-and-forth affair, with North Florida holding a 20-16 lead after one period.

The game turned decisively in the second quarter. Tulane’s defense intensified, forcing a series of North Florida turnovers and converting them into easy transition baskets. The Green Wave opened the period on a 12-2 run, seizing a lead they would not relinquish. Amira Mabry fueled the surge with a 3-pointer and active play on both ends, while Daniel began to find her scoring touch. Tulane outscored North Florida 20-11 in the quarter to take a 36-31 lead into halftime.

Any hopes of a North Florida comeback were extinguished in the third quarter. Tulane came out of the break with renewed energy, quickly extending its lead. Daniel was the catalyst, scoring 11 points in the period as the Green Wave’s offense operated with efficiency. A 3-pointer from Daniel with 6:01 left in the quarter pushed the Tulane lead to 50-41, and the advantage continued to grow from there. The Green Wave outscored the Ospreys 21-11 in the frame, taking a commanding 57-42 lead into the final period.

Tulane maintained its defensive intensity in the fourth quarter, holding North Florida at bay and methodically extending the margin. Dyllan Hanna provided a consistent interior presence, scoring six of her 14 points in the final period. The Green Wave lead ballooned to as many as 23 points as they cruised to the finish line.

Daniel’s game-high 20 points for Tulane came on an efficient 8-of-16 shooting from the floor, including two 3-pointers. She added five rebounds and a block in 26 minutes of action. Hanna was a force inside, finishing with 14 points and seven rebounds. Mabry stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and a block, while Jordyn Weaver controlled the glass with nine rebounds and five points.

For North Florida, Stinson led the way with 15 points. Alexa Washington contributed 11 points and three assists, while Buzzetti added eight points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Megan Verbeeten provided a spark off the bench with seven points, four rebounds and three blocks.

The loss drops North Florida to 1-2 on the young season, while Tulane improves to 2-1. The Ospreys continue their road trip with a game at South Alabama on Friday. Tulane returns to action at home on Monday against in-state rival LSU.