NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — The Tulane Green Wave used a dominant first quarter and a balanced scoring attack to secure a 69-54 victory over the Memphis Tigers in an American Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Devlin Fieldhouse.

The Green Wave (10-15, 4-8 AAC) seized control from the opening tip, racing to a 21-9 lead after the first quarter. They built that advantage by capitalizing on a sluggish Memphis start, forcing seven Tigers turnovers in the period while shooting 50% from the field. The early cushion proved critical, as Tulane never trailed and withstood several Memphis pushes in the second half.

Memphis (8-18, 2-10) struggled offensively throughout, posting an offensive rating of just 75.4 points per 100 possessions. The Tigers shot 37.9% from the field and a frigid 15.4% from three-point range. Turnovers were a persistent issue, with Memphis committing 19, which Tulane converted into 18 points. The Green Wave also held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, making 16 of 20 attempts compared to Memphis’ 8-of-14 performance.

The most important stretch of the game came in the third quarter as Memphis attempted to rally. After trailing by 17 at halftime, the Tigers opened the second half with a 7-0 run, cutting the deficit to 42-33 on a Tamya Smith jumper. Smith, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, was the lone consistent offensive threat for Memphis, finishing with a game-high 20 points.

However, Tulane responded decisively. Guard Shiloh Kimpson of Little Elm, Texas, steadied the Green Wave, orchestrating the offense and finding open teammates. She finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists. Following the Memphis run, Tulane answered with a 9-2 spurt of its own, keyed by a Jayda Brown jumper and a driving layup from Kimpson, pushing the lead back to 51-35 and effectively extinguishing the Tigers’ momentum.

Tulane’s defense was the cornerstone of the victory. The Green Wave recorded 10 steals, led by Kimpson and CC Mays, who had three each. They also limited Memphis to just four assists on 22 made field goals, disrupting any offensive rhythm. Mays, from Tampa, Florida, added 11 points, while Mecailin Marshall of Abernathy, Texas, led Tulane with 15 points off the bench. Amira Mabry from Converse, Texas, contributed 11 points and a key first-quarter block that set an early defensive tone.

For Memphis, Daejah Richmond of Cordova, Tennessee, scored 10 points but battled foul trouble and turnovers. The Tigers won the rebounding battle 41-34, including 12 offensive boards, but could not overcome their inefficient shooting and ball-handling woes.

The game was a quick turnaround from the teams’ previous meeting just two days prior in Memphis, where Tulane also won, 63-58. The season sweep gives Tulane momentum as it heads into the final stretch of conference play.

An announced crowd of 751 watched as Tulane improved to 7-4 at home this season, while Memphis fell to 2-9 on the road. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Tulane entered the game with an 80.5% probability to win.

Memphis will look to end a four-game losing streak when it travels to face Temple on Sunday. Tulane continues its homestand, hosting Tulsa on Tuesday.