Tulane Men's Basketball Falls to Memphis in OT Thriller

Wave erases late deficit but comes up short in high-scoring affair

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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In a thrilling overtime game, the Tulane men's basketball team pushed Memphis to the brink before falling 96-95 in front of a raucous home crowd at Fogelman Arena. Tulane rallied from a late nine-point deficit to force overtime, but ultimately came up short on a controversial foul call in the final seconds of the extra period.

Why it matters

The loss drops Tulane to the 9th seed in the American Conference, setting up a rematch with Memphis in the opening round of the conference tournament. The game highlighted the resilience of the Green Wave squad, who have endured a difficult season following the tragic death of star player Gregg Glenn III.

The details

Tulane led for most of the game, owning a 50% shooting percentage in the first half before cooling off to 44% in the second. Memphis, meanwhile, heated up in the second half, hitting 61% of their shots. The Wave kept the game close by forcing 12 Memphis turnovers and winning the rebounding battle 41-32. Regulation ended tied at 81, but Memphis hit 9-of-10 free throws in overtime to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on March 9, 2026.
  • Tulane and Memphis will face off again on Wednesday, March 11 in the opening round of the American Conference tournament.

The players

Gregg Glenn III

Tulane's star player who tragically passed away before the start of the season.

Ron Hunter

Tulane's head coach, who was emotional in his postgame comments about the difficult season and the loss of Glenn.

KJ Greene

Tulane player who was called for a controversial foul in the final seconds of overtime that sent Memphis to the free throw line for the game-winning points.

Quante Berry

Memphis player who hit the game-winning free throws after the questionable foul call on Greene.

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What they’re saying

“I told the guys (in the locker room) after the game, that this (contest) represented our whole year, as to things not being fair. I'm proud of these kids. I'm not going to even talk about the call. If you look at it, you can make your own (decision) on that.”

— Ron Hunter, Tulane Head Coach

“They were dealt a blow, we were all dealt a blow (by the death of Glenn) that most people couldn't get through. You guys (the media) heard me say, (this was) the hardest year of my life. I (feel like) I lost a son. They (the players) lost a brother. We lost a hell of a player. I thought these guys did the best they could this year.”

— Ron Hunter, Tulane Head Coach

What’s next

Tulane and Memphis will face off again on Wednesday, March 11 in the opening round of the American Conference tournament.

The takeaway

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Tulane's resilient performance in the face of adversity this season showcases the team's character and the incredible leadership of Coach Hunter. The Green Wave will have another chance to knock off their conference rival in the tournament.