The league's 11 teams will play 18 games for the second straight year, playing eight opponents twice and the other two once.

Tulane faces Temple (home) and Cincinnati (road) only once. That's a good break because those two teams will be picked in the top four for sure. Last year Tulane had no road game against league champion SMU (good) and no home game against bottom of the barrel East Carolina (bad).

The actual schedule will be announced much later. Tulane almost always is the last team to release it, usually in August.

http://theamerican.org/news/2015/5/20/MBB_0520155519.aspx

As others have posted, it was a terrific team win today with clutch pitching, Kaplan's home runs and sterling defense. UConn's record doesn't show it, but the Huskies are a heck of a hitting team.that is hard to hold to one run.

I talked to Kaplan, Duester, Gibaut and Pierce.

KAPLAN

On emerging from recent slump in a huge way:

"It felt good. I got two pitches I could drive and I got good swings on it. I had a tough series against Memphis, but I just came in here today, relaxed and felt like I was starting over. I had to help out the team."

on the first home run:

"It was a changeup in, and I got into that one pretty well."

On the second home run:

"It was a changeup or a fastball in. I’m not sure. I got my hands to it. I didn’t hit it quite on the barrel, but I got it well enough to hit it out of here."

On not having to face AAC Pitcher of the Year Carson Cross:

"They could throw anybody and we would have had good at-bats and done just as well. Duester went out there today and really shut it down for us, and Gibaut came in and did what he’s supposed to do. When he comes in I’m thinking there’s going to be a win, and we need him to keep throwing like he’s throwing."

On Duester's performance:

"Duester’s the man. He came out there today and shut it down. That’s all we can ask."

On significance of win:

"We’ve just got to keep winning, and nothing’s locked in for us. We did good in Memphis and won two out of three like we were supposed to, and hopefully we can come out here and just win the tournament and have no questions."

DUESTER

On having his longest stint of the year (seven innings; previous long was six):

"This team’s been doing this all year long. We have that postseason attitude in the dugout. We’re coming in this thing to win it. I had some trouble early I had to get out of. It kind of reminded me of a few outings from earlier in the year. I decided to bear down and get after it and make pitches when I needed it."

On getting out of bases loaded, one-out situations in second and third innings:

"I was just making pitches when I needed, and I have trust in our defense behind me. Our offense stuck with the same good approach the whole game. They just kept battling through it. They had a couple of good arms come at us, and we were able to put a couple of insurance runs on the board."

On when he found out he was starting:

"Probably three or four days ago he said you could be going Wednesday because I was the freshest arm coming back from Memphis. I just prepared like I do every other game. I was ready to go. I was excited being back down in Florida. I haven’t pitched here since I was in junior college almost a year ago in the state tournament. I didn’t do very well. It gave me a little chip on my shoulder. I’ve got family in here, too."

On what members of his family showed up:

(sister, a couple of friends, cousin from N.Y. and a couple of his friends, grandparents, uncle and a couple of friends from back home)

On significance of win:

"We’re coming into this tournament to win it. Coach gave us a motivational speed right now. He said you guys are not guaranteed. We need to go out there and play how we’ve been for the last couple of weeks of the season and just get after and play as hard as we can."

GIBAUT

On being at his best right now:

"I feel great out there right now. I feel really comfortable. I feel everything is smooth. I just made some minor adjustments in the middle of the season, and it’s been fun. It’s been good."

On his adrenaline on his last pitch:

"I was going for the strikeout right there. I knew I could get him off my fast ball with that slider. It was working today."

On significance of win:

"It’s huge. With the regional chances, it’s a big win. They were a bubble team and a really good club, but we came out here to win the tournament. Win three more, and we’re automatically in."

On Kaplan's day:

"He showed up today. He was really squaring the ball up today. That was a good boost for us."

PIERCE

On starting Duester:

"We’ve got four very good starters, and he was the freshest. It made the most sense. Corey came off a Friday to Thursday and I didn’t want to bump him Thursday to Wednesday. It wasn’t always pretty today, but boy he competed well and gave us a chance to win."

On Duester getting out of back-to-back jams:

"I’m sure they (the Huskies) are kicking themselves for leaving the guys on base, but we made pitches and made plays. It was just a really clean game."

On who will be the starting pitcher Thursday:

"Merrill is going to go tomorrow."

On Kaplan emerging from recent slump:

"We’ve settled into a lineup. He wasn’t the best hitter in the lineup over the weekend, but he had good at-bats. He probably had good at-bats at Memphis as anybody but just nothing to show for it. We had confidence in keeping him in there, and look what he did today."

On not having to face Cross:

"Any time you don’t have to face a pitcher of the year in the league, I don’t know if it’s happiness or any other thoughts. It’s just that’s what they chose to do and what we chose to do, and we outdueled them."

On Gibaut being at top of his game:

"He’s got his feet back under him. He’s really staying on his back leg and driving the ball, and it shows in his command. If he commands it, the key for him was to hit with the slider in the middle of their order because they can hit the fast ball at any speed. He did a great job of hitting the slider when he needed to."

On why Duester kept getting into trouble early:

"He’s a sinker guy, and he was leaving that up a little bit and he still walked four guys. He competed well, but giving them that extra base runner made for more stress pitches. He’s got to improve that."

On significance of win:

"It feels great to be in the winners bracket right now. We’re here to do our best and try to win the tournament, so that’s what we’re going to focus on for tomorrow night."

On rotation for rest of tournament:

"We're looking at Merrill, Massey and then go from there."

Double post.

I can't figure out how to delete posts on the new message board.

There were a lot of heroes in today's win over UCONN. Duester and Kaplan probably deserve the headlines, but Wilson, Alemais, and Gibault aren't far behind. Clutch throws by Rogers and solid defense throughout were also key. Great job, guys.

Roll Wave!!!

Tammy did a nice job on this one. Deschamp came up huge for Tulane on Saturday, hoping for more success at AAC tourney.

http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2015/05/tulane_infielder_garrett_desch_1.html#incart_river

This was a Tulane decision, and I don't like it.

In addition to the $350,000 the Wave will have to pay Mississippi State, it deprives fans of a chance to see how Curtis Johnson's team stacks up with an SEC team in what will be his fifth year. Sure, Tulane plays at Wake Forest in 2016, but the Demon Deacons usually are not as good as a lot of now-power five schools. Mississippi State has become a solid program under Dan Mullen and would have been a good measuring stick for Tulane.

Look for Tulane to replace Mississippi State with an FBS opponent that will agree to a home-and-home series, but definitely not a team from a power five conference. I'm thinking South Alabama or Rice or some team like that.

That's weak.

Of course, the more important task is building a legitimate winner. After last year's letdown in the AAC, Tulane needs to prove it can contend at the top of its new league, starting next fall. If the Wave succeeds, the decision to drop Mississippi State will look even worse, as if the Tulane administration does not think it can compete with average SEC teams. If the Wave struggles again this fall, it will simply wipe another L off the schedule from 2016.

How many game do you think Tulane needs to win at the AAC tourney to get an at-large bid to a regional?

The way I look at it, the metrics are good across the board, but since the NCAA says it weighs tournament games as if they were regular season games, two straight losses could drop Tulane to the fifth or sixth best record in the AAC. My best guess is one win in Clearwater would do the trick.

Tulane has a tough assignment in its opener against a UConn ace who was part of a shutout victory in New Orleans. Getting the third seed was critical, but the matchup is rough. Merrill will need to be very sharp on Wednesday.

Your thoughts?

Got this from the site that covers this for all teams.

South Alabama already is on the schedule for a home and home in 2019 and 2020.

http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa/aac/tulane-green-wave.php

I don't claim to be an expert on the league--I never saw East Carolina, Memphis or Cincinnati play--but I did follow the results closely. Here's a stab at what will happen in the AAC tourney.

1) Houston

The Cougars, who won the Baton Rouge regional last year, were supposed to win the AAC title this season and proved as good as advertised after a slow start and despite a slew of injuries, winning their last six series to finish 16-8. They have the best starting pitching in the league, the best power and the best team. They also have plenty of incentive in Clearwater. Even though they are the only team assured of an at-large bid if they go 0-2, they are playing to host a regional and would almost certainly do so if they won the tourney.

Prediction: 3-0, bracket winner, tourney champion

2) East Carolina

New coach Cliff Godwin won the AAC coach of the year honor that should have gone to David Pierce, but it's understandable since the Pirates went 15-9 to Tulane's 13-11 and beat the Wave comfortably in the season series. Still, they won only one non-conference game of note (NC State) and are an underwhelming bunch statistically aside from being an excellent defense team (second to Tulane in fielding percentage, and opponents stole only nine bases in 16 attempts). They are just OK at the plate and OK on the mound. So why did they finish one game behind Houston for first place? They won their last eight one-run games (including two out of conference), an incredible stat that is partly the function of good fortune.

Prediction: 1-2

3) Tulane

The Wave is underwhelming statistically, too, but only because it was so anemic at the plate, finishing last in the league in runs scored during conference games. Tulane was not dominant on the mound in conference play, either, posting the fourth-best ERA. But it was really good defensively, posting the best fielding percentage, making sensational plays in the infield, having a catcher (Jake Rogers) with an incredibly accurate arm (though he slumped late) and a right fielder (Lex Kaplan) with a bazooka for an arm. If Tulane swings the bat like it did in the last 12 innings against Memphis (14 runs), it can win the tournament. If it reverts to form, it won't last long.

Prediction: 2-2

4) South Florida

I doubted Mark Kingston's club all year, and after leading the conference standings for a while, the Bulls lost four consecutive series. They came up empty against top notch opponents out of the league, getting beaten by FSU, Florida and Illinois by the combined score of 72-18 (though beating Illinois once, which likely will get them an at-large bid). They hit pretty well and run pretty well but have little power. They pitch pretty well but are not overwhelming on the mound. They field pretty well but can be run on. And they will play their first two tournament games without coach Mark Kingston, who will be serving the rest of his five-game suspension for confronting an umpire after a loss at Tulane two weeks ago. They do get to play close to home, where they went 8-4 in conference play.

Prediction: 2-2

5) Memphis

The Tigers spit the bit on Saturday against Tulane after putting themselves in position for an at-large bid despite a poor RPI number that came because they lost two series to woeful Cincinnati. This was the most unpredictable team in the league, winning series against champion Houston and second-place East Carolina but somehow losing at home and on the road, as just mentioned. to Cincinnati. They never won a series opener until beating Tulane and were 11-3 on the rest of the weekend until getting swept in the doubleheader by the Wave. They were second-to-last in runs scored, in the middle of the pack in pitching and had the worst fielding percentage in the AAC. The series losses to Cincy and a 16-inning win against pitiful Tennessee-Martin last week don't bode well.

Prediction: 1-2

6) Connecticut

If you look at the stats, it's hard to figure out how the Huskies finished sixth with an 11-13 record. They outscored their opponents in AAC play by 39, second only to Houston, while posting the second best ERA and scoring the most runs. Their 1-2 punch of Carson Cross, the AAC Pitcher of the Year, and Anthony Kay is awesome. Defense is an issue. They finished seventh in fielding percentage and turned a measly 11 double plays in 24 conference plays, five fewer than any other team. They also went 1-7 in their last eight conference games decided by two or fewer runs, including a sweep at Houston last weekend when the Cougars won by a total of four runs. If the Huskies hit reasonably well in Clearwater, this is a dangerous team.

Prediction: 3-0, bracket winner, lose to Houston in championship game

7) Central Florida

The Knights can't pitch at a high level, so they had no chance of sustaining their early-season stint inside the top 10 of national polls. They also stopped hitting, even at their hitter-friendly park, despite having a roster is loaded with talented batters. They are better than their performance in the league and if their one big-time pitcher, Zach Rogers (10-0, 2.18 ERA) handles ECU in the opener, they are capable of a run that will bolster a resume featuring series wins over Ole Miss and Houston and a win against Florida. But I don't like the mindset of this team, particularly compared to ECU in that first game. On paper, Rogers should win that one.

Prediction: 0-2

8) Cincinnati

AAC Player of the Year Ian Happ is a heck of a hitter. Everything else about this team is god-awful.

Prediction: 0-2

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pitcher go from “great” to “terrible” so quickly. In his first four appearances this year (all weekend starts), Tim Yandel pitched 26 1/3 innings, allowed 11 hits, and 2 earned runs. He walked 8 (2.73/9 innings) and struck out 15 (5.1/9 innings). Opponents were batting .122 against him and his ERA was 0.68. Due to lack of run support, he was only 2-0.

Since then, in 12 appearances (4 starts), he’s pitched 26 more innings. He’s allowed 41 hits (a .376 batting average), walked 18 guys (6.2/9 innings), and struck out 11 (3.8/9 innings). He’s also allowed 23 earned runs (7.96 ERA) while going 0-1.

Last year he didn’t pitch much—13 appearances and 18 innings. But, he pitched very well: 1 earned run (0.50 ERA), with only 10 hits (.185 batting average), 7 walks (3.5/9 innings) and 11 K’s (5.5/9 innings).

I have no idea (other than a “between the ears” issue) what is the problem.

It’s probably too late for him to recover this year. I don’t see how Coach Pierce can “trust” him in our remaining games, but he’s got one more year and we’ll need him next season to get his “stuff” together.

I hope he can.

Roll Wave!!!!

It's by far the best Conroy has signed and the first one with the potential for real success down the road. That part is all good.

But as great as it is compared to the past, it still ranks ninth among 11 AAC teams according to another national site (Rivals only lists the top 30 classes). ECU and Tulsa, the other two CUSA departures, are the only ones ranked lower. Tulane is 68th, Houston 67th, UCF 59th, USF 55th, Cincinnati 52nd, Temple 49th, SMU 39th, UConn 30th and Memphis 14th.

Saw this link on GoTula.net and thought I'd post it here. The sportswriter, a friend of mine who covered Florida at the same time I did for a while, has low expectations for Tulane.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/fall-forecast-in-may-aac-football-preseason-rankings/2228770

After Thursday's game I said the Wave's chances for a regional were being squeezed. Well, that was Thursday. You've got to be proud of these guys today. Backs to the wall and they played as well as they've played at any point this season, or for that matter, any season in several years. Obviously a lot of variables left but finishing tied for 3rd in the league with the tiebreaker making us the 3rd for tournament purposes is a good start. Two wins in the tourney and I think we're in. One win and we may be in. Going 0-2 would probably be a "no go."

Roll Wave!!!

The loss last night along with the loss to USM combined with below average performance by our other opponents (.429 winning percentage in the last four games) has put our backs against the wall. By my count, IF we win the next two AND win two in the tourney, we'll have an RPI in the high 40's and have a shot. Even that would depend on how our other opponents do, others in our conference do, and how many "undeserving" teams (ie. not "top 64" in RPI) win their tournaments, forcing an expected champion, with clear "at large" credentials to take a spot we might receive.

It's not done, but we're getting closer to needing to win the conference tournament.

Roll Wave!!!!

The loss tonight to Memphis was rough, but at least David Pierce is still in the dugout. USF coach Mark Kingston got suspended for five games for a run-in with an umpire after the Tulane game Sunday.

Here's the link from the Tampa Bay Times. Word is there may have been a police report filed.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/usf-coach-mark-kingston-suspended-5-games/2229735

The stat I already posted about Memphis is truly incredible, that the Tigers are 0-7 in AAC series openers while being outscored 52-14. This being baseball, it may not have an effect on tonight's pivotal game against Tulane, but here's the history.

Caleb Wallingford pitched the first five openers and struggled in all of them, giving up 23 runs 31 innings.

Colton Hathcock pitched the following week against Cincinnati and the Tigers lost 11-4.

Alex Gunn, the Tigers' normal midweek starter, pitched last Friday against UCF and allowed seven runs in 3.1 innings, taking his first loss of the season after five victories. He gets the start tonight. He was not pitching feel even before his promotion, however, giving up eight hits and three runs in 5.1 innings against Arkansas State and five runs in five innings against Ole Miss. He is a senior lefty.

Tulane cannot afford to lose this game. Memphis has been very good in the second and third games of series all year, so it probably would be too much to ask for the Wave to win Friday and Saturday with a loss tonight. Everything points in Tulane's favor with Corey Merrill on the mound, so the Wave has to take care of business.

A lot of people seem to equate opponent’s RPI with our strength of schedule. It’s not even close. As most on this site know, the opponents RPI is made up 25% by its winning percentage and 50% by its opponents winning percentage. While important to their RPI, the final 25% (Opponents’ opponents' win percentage) doesn’t even contribute to our strength of schedule. Our Strength of schedule, which makes up 75% of our RPI is based 66.7% on opponents winning percentage. The other third of our strength of schedule is based on the winning percentage of our opponents’ foes. So, for example the RPI of South Florida is significantly better than that of Memphis. But, winning against Memphis will help our RPI more than winning against South Florida, and that doesn’t even include winning on the road. The same goes for Southern Miss. They add more to our strength of schedule that does South Florida.

Through Sunday’s games, the Math:

South Florida is #28 in RPI and has a .5865 win/loss rate. Its opponents have a .5852 W/L rate. The SOS they bring to Tulane’s RPI calculation is .5861. (twice USF W/L rate plus their opponents' W/L rate all divided by three).

Memphis is #61 in RPI but has a .6600 W/L rate. Its opponents have a .5129 W/L rate to give them a .6111 SOS component within Tulane’s RPI calculation.

Similarly, USM is #62 in RPI with a W/L rate of .6562. Its opponents W/L rate is .5120 for a .6081 SOS component as an opponent of Tulane.

The simple fact is that an opponent's W/L rate is MUCH more important than its RPI in judging whether they will help or hurt our own RPI.

So, in reality, the way to greatly improve your RPI isn't necessarily to schedule high RPI teams, but to schedule teams with superior W/L records. In truth, they tend to coincide.

Roll Wave!!!

Southern Miss needed Tuesday night's game more than Tulane and played like it, getting outstanding hitting, defense and pitching out of the bullpen to beat the Green Wave 8-4 for the second time this season. The Golden Eagles won their 10th straight overall and 10th straight midweek game, but the games that really matter for the Wave start Thursday at Memphis.

Here is a sampling of what coach David Pierce and his players had to say:

PIERCE

On Tim Yandel's shaky performance, when he allowed six runs in 3.1 innings, meaning he has given up 27 runs his last 26.1 innings after a terrific start to the season.

"He's fighting some confidence right now. As soon as something bad happens, he's searching instead of competing. He'll be back. He's going to have to regain some form if he's going to help us in the tournament. We have confidence in him, and we're going to need him."

On Eric Steel having to come out in the middle of the second batter he faced:

"He's been a little banged up. He was only going to go the rest of that inning, so he was only in a short two-out inning relief. It was concerning, but he said, 'coach, I can go,' so we took a shot at it and he couldn't."

On getting past loss:

"This will be a clean sweep. We'll get past this. We're ready for a bus ride. We're excited about going to Memphis."

On talking to team about stakes of series:

"Right now I don't have to because they know the stakes. In the past I've been kind of building them up for this, but right now they understand the whole picture. It's going to be an exciting weekend hopefully."

On significance of USM game:

"This was how I looked at it. If we did well here and then poorly in the weekend, this game wouldn't have mattered. If we lose this one and do well this weekend, I think we're in good shape."

On Memphis struggling in first game of conference series (0-7 this year):

"We can't view it like that because they are a quality team. We had some struggles early and then we won three in a row (opening games of series). It's just about two guys toeing it up and making the routine plays and getting some clutch hits."

On whether a series win would put Tulane in good shape for a regional:

"There are so many things throughout the country that create the variables. I think we have to win the series to have a shot."

On Sam Bjorngjeld going 4.2 innings and not allowing a run in third appearance of year:

"This was not just a token outing for Sam. Like we've been talking about all year, we're searching for guys that can help us in the conference series or in the tournament. He was remarkable tonight."

LEX KAPLAN

On Memphis series:

"I'm really excited. It's going to be like a playoff situation. We need to win the series. That's the bottom line. We're going to go out there. I think we're going to do it. We looked good offensively tonight (10 hits) and our starting pitching has been good. We're just going to go out there and be relaxed, not too tense and we'll be all right."

On stakes:

"The way I'm looking at it, if we win the series and do decent in the (AAC) tournament, we'll be in there, hopefully playing LSU at the Box. I'd like that."

HUNTER WILLIAMS

On what need to do at Memphis:

"We need to win as many games as we can and definitely win the series.We'll do whatever we can to put ourselves in a good position and let the cards fall in place."

COREY MERRILL

On talking about regional chances:

"We're definitely talking about it a lot. Last year we struggled a little bit and didn't even get the opportunity to play for a regional late in the season. Now that we have a chance, we know Memphis is a big series coming up. If we win that series and hopefully get a sweep, we know we'll have a really good shot at getting an at-large. This (loss) happened. So what. Let's move on to Memphis. We have a little chip on our shoulder and the motivation to get through it."

On Thursday being biggest game he's faced:

"It definitely has the most meaning now that it's coming down to the end, but this game means the same as it did five weeks ago. It's all the same thing. It's all conference. Now that it's so close, it's kind of built up a little bit more, and the main thing to do is just keep your composure and (treat it as) just another game and do everything you can to prepare for it."

On team rebounding from 12-0 loss to USF last Friday to win next two:

"I expected to bounce back like that. This team has a lot of heart and a lot of fight in them. The big thing was we had a rough one, and when something like that happens at home and you get embarrassed like that, it's going to take something off of your head. We came out and fought very well."

Guerry, you may be covering this in Conroy Q&A Part II but in case you are not, any word on the official paperwork for Jarreau?

I liked your article. Coach Pierce is a breath of fresh air. He has a plan and shares it with the players. The players respond. and sometime with great heart. How many times have we come back to win games. The two SELA comebacks are good examples. Never say die. I look forward to next year when we should have more talent. ROLL WAVE!

Monster win today against USF. Misplayed ball by USF centerfielder was an obvious big break and the Wave still only went 6 for 30 at bat. But, pitching was tough and I've got to give props to Winwave who pointed to Rankin as pitching well in his last appearance. His two innings were really important to this victory. Four games to go before the AAC tourney. Win three of them and I think we're in even if we go 0-2 in the conference tournament. Let's go 4-0 and take away any doubt. Tough four games in five days will be a challenge.

Roll Wave!!!

Tulane's 5-3 win today over South Florida was huge. We used three of our top five pitchers in the game and, I'd guess, Gibaut and possibly Duester and even Merrill could pitch an inning or so on Sunday. Gibbs is almost surely the Sunday starter now and we need a solid six innings out of him. Anything less will probably mean Rankin or Yandel coming in and nether has pitched well lately.

But, back to today. Our 5-3 win today is every bit as important as the 12-0 loss on Friday. Baseball, unlike football and basketball, place zero emphasis on score differential-- as it should in my book. That's why Las Vegas bookies give points in basketball and football and only set betting odds in baseball. Winning by a big number one day has little-to-no influence on the results of the next game. Whether you win 20-0 or 1-0 makes no difference.

I remember the 1960 World Series, before many on this site were born, I'd guess. The Pittsburgh Pirates won four game by a total of seven runs. And the Yankees won the other three games by a total of 35 runs. The Pirates were World Champions! It's how it is and how it should be.

If we can squeak out another win on Sunday, we win the series, no matter the results of the one "blow out."

Roll Wave!!!

TYLER WILSON

Why the dramatic difference from Friday and today?

"Last night we didn’t get timely hits. We had runners on in a couple different situations and we just didn’t come through. Today was different, and that played a huge role in the win."

Your home run was a no-doubter. What was the pitch?

"He’d thrown three great ones to me the at-bat before when I struck out on three straight changeups. I was just trying to see it up and got lucky."

How much was this win needed?

"We needed it. We always need timely hit. You can never score too many runs, but it’s just awesome to be the guy to do it."

What was said after last night's 12-0 loss?

"We knew that we had something to play for and nothing to lose, so we just went out there and gave it everything we had. It wasn’t all that pretty, but we came out on top, and that’s what we needed to do."

Why was it easy to bounce back from a loss like that?

"That was ugly last night, I don’t care who it is, 12-0 isn’t a good looking game, so we knew we had to come out today and prove a point that that’s not who we are."

How big are the stakes tomorrow?

"This is the biggest game of the year. We’re playing for a regional, so this is definitely the biggest game I’ve played in here at Tulane."

JACKSON JOHNSON

Can you comment on your day?

"It was awesome. I was glad to get out there and give our team a chance to win on Saturday and get the series to tomorrow so it was good."

What happened on the home run?

"Honestly, I haven’t hit a home run since Cooperstown when I was 12. In BP, they always give me crap for it but his fastball had some arm-side runs so I backed off the plate about an extra half inch and I backed up and tried to get the barrel out there."

How nice was it to provide that two-run cushion?

"Yeah, it was awesome. We were just trying to get the leadoff guy on base and try to punch another one across to get Gibaut a little leeway so it was good."

When did you find out you were in the starting lineup and batting second?

"Actually I had an exam this morning so I came in a little late for breakfast and came in and saw the lineup and was like, all right, let’s go."

What exam?

"Microeconomics."

The frustration was high yesterday. What changed?

"Coach Pierce gave us a little talk before the game and got into us a little bit and we deserved it. We were like, let’s go out there and give it everything we’ve got and try to win the series because if we wintomorrow, we’re right back where we want to be."

What do you think about your chances tomorrow?

"I think Gibbs is going to give us an excellent chance on the mound, fill up the zone and come back with the same tenacity tomorrow."

DAVID PIERCE

On today's win...

"The win was a lot better, definitely, and I thought we just scratched and clawed all day. It wasn't pretty at times, but we just hung in there. We did a super job on turning three double plays and picking up our pitchers today."
We were fortunate, but the key to the entire game was we really just scratched and clawed and we gave ourselves a chance even though, at times, we looked pretty ugly."

On starting Jackson Johnson...

"He's very competitive. What I love about Jackson is that he's got a lot of confidence in himself and he's been swinging the bat really well. I talked to him about a week ago and said you're a perfect type of guy to be a spark plug for us when we need it. And boy, he was awesome today and we needed it."

On Wilson being so versatile at the plate...

"It was outstanding. He got beat on the changeup early in the game where he chased down and all he had to do was see the changeup up and be ready for it and put a great swing on it. And he executed the bunt and gave us another opportunity to tack on a run."

On the dugout waking up after T-Willy's bomb...

"They had something to cheer about. It gave us the lead, so it really excited the team and we finished strong."

On Massey's final line...

"He had stuff on the ball. I think he was as frustrated as anyone. He wasn't doing anything different. I don't know if he tensed up or pressed a little bit but it didn't end the way he would've expected it to end."

On the relief pitching being key...

"Duester was not sharp but he was good enough to win."

On winning while issuing 10 walks...

"I feel very fortunate. The reason we were able to overcome it was because of the double plays. We made some pitches but it was just a stressful game."

On having to take on Sean Allen's job as third base coach after he was ejected Friday, which carries automatic one-game suspension ...

"I told Coach Allen he'd better quit being thrown out. I'm getting stressed out."

On Sunday's game...

"It's got so much on the line. There's so many implications of what happens after tomorrow's ballgame. It's not the end, by any means, but it sure positions us a lot better."

On Gibbs getting tomorrow's start...

"I just expect him to really trust his stuff in the strikezone. He throws three pitches that are quality. He's not going to overpower anyone but he can pitch ahead of guys if he just trusts his stuff in the zone."

On Gibaut's availability...

"He'll probably be good for at least two [innings]. He's pretty fresh."

On Jake Willsey ignoring his stop sign and scoring Tulane's first run ...

"It was a great move, wasn't it? It was a deke all the way (said jokingly)."

With Payton Henson transferring, Ed Conroy has lost 16 of his 25 scholarship recruits before they completed their eligibility at Tulane. Here is a rundown of all of the scholarship players who have signed under Conroy's tenure and what happened. I added walk-on Ben Cherry, too.

2010-11

Kevin Brown, G, Houston

--He played in 18 games as a freshman, averaging 1.3 points, and did not return for his sophomore years. He was part of a marginal 3-man recruiting class.

Kevin Thomas, C, Waco, Texas

--Some observers thought he teased with some good stretches he could not sustain, but the reality is he was a stiff with a low basketball I.Q. (and very high I.Q. off the court) who had some shot-blocking ability but nothing else. He stayed all four years, never averaging more than 2.5 points or 2.2 rebounds. No coach could have gotten much more out of him because his primary focus was not basketball.

Jonathan Frye, G, Greensboro, N.C.

--He had a concussion early on his freshman year, left for North Carolina and never returned. I had a devil of a time getting a straight answer on his status when it went down, but he was not a D1-cailber player anyway.

2011-12

Ricky Tarrant, G, Pleasant Grove, Ala.

--We all know the story there. Tarrant exploded on to the scene as a freshman, a Conroy trademark for point guards, and looked like he could become one of the best players in Tulane history while being named CUSA Freshman of the Year and making the All-CUSA first team. I soured on his upside when he did not improve as a sophomore, exhibiting streaky shooting around 40 percent, but he was an excellent all-around player with an outstanding work ethic. Then he transferred to Alabama, catching Conroy completely off guard when he found out after the fact he was unhappy at Tulane. Tarrant wanted to play closer to home at his dream SEC school, but he would have stayed if he had been happier. He had a lot of freedom in Conroy's generally rigid offense and a green light to shoot.

Grant Fiorentinos, C, Cape Town, South Africa

--Another stiff who was misevaluated as someone who could play at the D1 level. Fiorentinos actually started early in his freshman year but never left the bench in the last two-thirds of the season, transferring after averaging 2.0 points and 1.6 rebounds.

Jay Hook, G, Waco, Texas

--The perfect example of an improving player who stays for four years and can help build programs. The only problem is there is no other example in Conroy's tenure. Hook hit a few 3s as a freshman but basically was a benchwarmer his first two years, then took advantage of a chance for playing time as a junior and become of the nation's most deadeye 3-point shooters with an incredibly quick release despite playing with a damaged wrist. He was not quite as reliable as a senior against better competition with more attention paid to him, but he made the most out of his two skills--shooting and jumping. He was an underrated rebounder.

Tre Drye, F, Baton Rouge

--His work ethic and desire were admirable. Unfortunately, Drye was about 4 inches too short to be an effective player against good competition. At about 6-5, he could not get his shot off against taller defenders and did not have any range to step away from the basket, so he became a garbage man who was undersized every night out. He averaged a career high 6.9 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior before dipping to 4.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in the tougher AAC, going a long stretch without being able to put the ball in the basket. Still, he stayed all four years, started all but two games in his last two years and was a regular starter in his final three.

Malte Ziegenhagen, G, Berlin, Germany

--Not good enough for D1. Ziegenhagen, a 3-point shooting specialist, made only 9 of 33 3-pointers in his one year before transferring to Hawaii Pacific, where he averaged 14.8 points and 15.1 points in two years before moving to Northwood University, where he averaged 13.9 points.

Josh Davis, F, Raleigh, N.C.

--Conroy did a good job getting him as a transfer from NC State and a terrific job developing him as a player. Davis, who sat out 2011-12 as a transfer, went from a garbage man as a junior to maybe the best player in CUSA as a senior, averaging 17.6 points and 10.3 rebounds while creating off the dribble from the top of the key in some sets. Yet, he joined the exodus of players at the end of 2012-13, transferring to San Diego State for his graduate senior year, where he went back to being a garbage man with no play ever called for him but did get to play in the NCAA tournament. He also turned into a good free throw shooter in his last year at Tulane but regressed dramatically in that category at San Diego State.

Tomas Bruha, C, Prague, Czech Republic

--He came in with bad knees and left the same way. After playing his freshman year at San Francisco and spending his next season at Southeastern (Iowa) Community College before being sidelined by a knee injury, he played nine games at Tulane in 2011-12, 18 the next year and 33 ineffective games as a senior, when his legs were shot. A non-factor.

Lotanna Nwogbo, PW, Lithonia, Ga.

--He has flashes, particularly in a game against Memphis, as a freshman, but he had a hard time getting off the bench as a sophomore, playing a total of 100 minutes and averaging 1.1 points before transferring with all of the other guys. He looked like a guy who could develop into a decent player if he had stayed. He averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 rebounds for Longwood, a small D1 school that went 11-23 this past year.

Ben Cherry, G, Charlotte, N.C.

--He never was on scholarship, but Cherry deserves mention because he carved out a role as a sharpshooter in his final year at Tulane and still transferred to hometown Charlotte as a graduate senior. Having played for Conroy at The Citadel, too, Cherry wanted to return close to home but also was not happy about not getting a scholarship.

2012-13

Louis Dabney, G, New Orleans

--A warrior. Dabney was the most significant player who DID NOT TRANSFER at the end of 2012-13. After a rough freshman year when he was recovering from a torn ACL he sustained as a senior at Riverside Academy, he averaged a team-best 15.2 points as a sophomore and was named second-team All-AAC this past season despite struggling to make shots in conference play. Barring any unforeseen news, he will become the fourth recruited freshman to play four years under Conroy at Tulane.

Kajon Mack, G, Gardena, Calif.

--The jury is out on him. Mack arrived as an athletic under-the-radar athletic recruit with no real position and averaged 2.7 points as a freshman while starting seven times. He missed all of 2013-14 with a foot injury and did not find a consistent role when he returned this past season, averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting miserably from 3-point range. He can't play point guard, so his role next year is unclear.

Marc Eddy Norelia, F, Orlando

--He was not ready to contribute as a freshman but had the pedigree to develop if he had stuck around, but he bailed like so many of his teammates after one year when he played in nine games and never scored. He transferred to Florida Gulf Coast and averaged 8.3 and 5.2 rebounds as a starter. Not a difference-maker, but he could have been a contributor at power forward, a big weak spot at Tulane.

RaAnthony Sanders, G, Holt, Ala.

--He was considered a bit of a reach when he signed, and he turned out to be a huge reach. Not a D1 talent. He played nine games and scored four points. He transferred to Pensacola State Junior College, where he averaged 10.7 points (while shooting 37 percent), 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 2014. He played for Albany this past season, starting all 33 games on an NCAA tournament team while averaging 9.7 points and 4.6 rebounds.

The Times Picayune is reporting and the kid's twitter has confirmed that Ricky Preston, WR from Hahnville, has signed with Tulane for the 2015 season. He apparently got his academic situation under control and is eligible immediately. Based on previous experience, I'd hold my breath on how Tulane and the NCAA get the "paperwork" in order, but, this would be a good addition to our wide receiver corps. By my calculations of his rankings, he would be the highest regarded (consensus) signee in our 2015 class unless Bo Wallace, who reportedly is not going to attend Notre Dame, should happen to pick the Wave.

Roll Wave!!!