Tulane Men's Losing Streak Hits Five as South FL Prevails, 97-83

Tulane's leading scorer Rowan Brumbaugh struggled, and the Green Wave's usually reliable free throw shooting went cold in the loss.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 11:47pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Tulane men's basketball team lost its fifth straight American Athletic Conference game, falling 97-83 to South Florida on Wednesday night. Tulane's leading scorer Rowan Brumbaugh didn't hit his first three-pointer until late in the game, and the Green Wave's usually reliable free throw shooting was off, hitting just 16 of 24 attempts. The Tulane defense also struggled, allowing South Florida to shoot near 50% from the field for most of the game. The loss was the fifth in a row for Tulane, the first time the team has hit a five-game skid since November 2024.

Why it matters

The loss drops Tulane to 3-5 in AAC play, continuing a rough stretch for the team after starting conference play 3-0. The Green Wave's defense, which had been a strength early in the season, was unable to slow down a South Florida team that is now tied for the league lead at 6-2. Tulane will need to find a way to get back on track quickly with a trip to Memphis coming up this Sunday.

The details

Tulane's leading scorer Rowan Brumbaugh, who's been averaging almost 20 points per game this season, didn't hit his first three-pointer until there was 7.5 minutes left in the game. The Green Wave also struggled at the free throw line, hitting just 16 of 24 attempts, well below their 77% rate in conference play. Tulane's defense, which had been a strength early in the season, allowed South Florida to shoot near 50% from the field for most of the game. Tulane forward Tyler Ringgold, who has been dealing with a leg injury, picked up four fouls in the first half and fouled out with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

  • The game tipped off late due to the Fogelman Arena lights being on a timer set to turn off at 10 p.m., and the lights blinked out temporarily in the second half.
  • Tulane's five-game losing streak is the team's first since November-December 2024.

The players

Rowan Brumbaugh

Tulane's leading scorer, who has been averaging almost 20 points per game this season.

Tyler Ringgold

Tulane forward who has been dealing with a leg injury and picked up four first-half fouls before fouling out.

Ron Hunter

Tulane's head coach, who is trying to get the team back on track after the five-game losing streak.

Luke Rasmussen

Tulane redshirt sophomore guard who made his first start in the game, providing some early energy on defense.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“That was a good basketball team we played tonight. I can't remember the last time we got manhandled in the paint that way. We're in a rough patch right now. What we've got to do is not worry about the next game. We've got to worry about getting better the next day.”

— Ron Hunter, Head Coach (si.com)

“I thought putting Luke in there early brought some energy in that regard.”

— Ron Hunter, Head Coach (si.com)

“To be honest with you, we've got to do a better job on the glass. That's the difference in the game.”

— Ron Hunter, Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

Tulane will look to end its five-game losing streak when it travels to Memphis to take on the Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

The takeaway

Tulane's struggles during this five-game skid highlight the need for the team to improve its defense and rebounding, as well as get more consistent production from its leading scorer Rowan Brumbaugh, if it hopes to turn things around in conference play.