BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering comeback and a star’s refusal to quit, Kaylah Turner’s 31-point performance, including a decisive overtime flurry, propelled Temple to an 86-77 victory over Tulane in the first round of the American Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament on Tuesday.

The game, played before a sparse crowd of 247 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, saw the eighth-seeded Owls survive a furious second-half rally by the ninth-seeded Green Wave to advance.

Temple appeared in complete control for much of the contest, building a 35-21 halftime lead behind a dominant second quarter where they outscored Tulane 25-13. The Owls’ defense was stifling, forcing 15 first-half turnovers and converting them into easy transition opportunities. Turner, the dynamic 5-foot-6 guard from Jacksonville, Florida, spearheaded the attack with 16 points by the break, while her backcourt mate Tristen Taylor provided steady play.

The third quarter offered little change, as Temple maintained a double-digit cushion. However, the final period belonged to Tulane and its own standout guard, Mecailin Marshall. The Green Wave, which had struggled offensively for three quarters, erupted for 31 points in the fourth. Marshall, a 5-10 sophomore from Abernathy, Texas, was relentless, attacking the rim and drawing fouls. She scored 13 of her game-high 25 points in the quarter, fueling a 20-8 run that brought Tulane back from the brink.

The most critical sequence of regulation came in the final minute. With Temple clinging to a 70-67 lead, Tulane’s Kanija Daniel hit a clutch 3-pointer from the wing with 36 seconds remaining, assisted by Marshall, to tie the game at 70. Temple had a chance to win in regulation, but a turnover by Saniyah Craig with 25 seconds left gave Tulane the final possession. The Green Wave could not convert, sending the game to an extra period.

It was there that Turner and the Owls reclaimed command. Seemingly fatigued from their monumental comeback effort, Tulane managed only one field goal in the first four minutes of overtime. Turner, however, was just getting started. She opened the extra session with a 3-pointer, then after a Tulane miss, came off a screen to drain another long-range shot, pushing the Temple lead to 79-73. On the ensuing possession, she found Savannah Curry for a third consecutive overtime triple, effectively sealing the game with a 9-0 run that made it 82-73.

Tulane had no answer for Turner’s overtime explosion, where she scored 10 of Temple’s 16 points. The Owls’ defense also tightened again, holding the Green Wave to 2-of-9 shooting in the extra period.

Beyond the duel between Turner and Marshall, Temple received crucial contributions from its frontcourt. Saniyah Craig, a 6-1 forward from Phoenix, Arizona, posted 14 points and a game-high five assists while anchoring the defense. Jaleesa Molina, the 6-2 center from the Netherlands, added 10 points and nine rebounds. For Tulane, Amira Mabry scored 13 points and Dyllan Hanna added 11, but the team’s 28 turnovers proved too great a hurdle to overcome entirely.

The victory improved Temple’s season record to 15-16 and snapped a two-game losing streak in the series, avenging a regular-season loss to the Green Wave in January. Tulane’s season ends with an 11-19 mark. Temple advances to face the tournament’s top seed in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday.

The game’s narrative ultimately shifted from Temple’s early dominance and defensive pressure to Tulane’s resilient, Marshall-led fightback, before finally culminating in Turner’s overtime heroics, which ensured the Owls would survive and advance.