BOCA RATON, Fla. (Interstat) — David Green scored 27 points as Tulsa overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to edge Florida Atlantic 78-76 in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at FAU Gymnasium. The Golden Hurricane, now 20-3, trailed 32-25 at halftime but outscored the Owls 53-44 in the second half. Niccolo Moretti led all scorers with 25 points for Florida Atlantic, which fell to 14-10. Tulsa’s Miles Barnstable added 15 points, all after intermission. The game featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes. Tulsa secured the win despite being outrebounded 13-5 on the offensive glass, offsetting that with an 18-6 advantage in points off turnovers. A crowd of 3,161 attended.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Interstat) — David Green scored 27 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 43 seconds remaining, and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane survived a 40-point performance from Florida Atlantic’s Niccolo Moretti to edge the Owls 78-76 in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball thriller Wednesday night at FAU Gymnasium. In a game defined by razor-thin margins and a frantic final minute, Tulsa improved to 20-3 overall and remained near the top of the conference standings. Florida Atlantic fell to 14-10 despite a heroic effort from its star guard. The contest was a tale of two halves. Florida Atlantic controlled the opening period, using a 13-2 run midway through to build a lead that stretched to 12 points. The Owls took a 32-25 advantage into halftime, fueled by interior dominance that resulted in a 13-5 edge in offensive rebounds and a 44-32 points-in-the-paint advantage for the game. Tulsa, however, emerged from the break transformed. The Golden Hurricane opened the second half on a 19-7 surge, sparked by the backcourt duo of Green and Miles Barnstable, to reclaim a lead they would not relinquish, though the Owls never relented. Tulsa’s offensive efficiency soared after halftime, scoring 53 points on the strength of 50% shooting from the field, a stark contrast to their 32% first-half showing. Moretti, the dynamic guard from Bologna, Italy, was virtually unstoppable, pouring in 25 of his game-high 40 points in the second half to keep the Owls within striking distance. His driving layup with 34 seconds left pulled Florida Atlantic to within 73-71, setting the stage for the decisive sequence. On the ensuing possession, Green was fouled by Josiah Parker and calmly sank both free throws to push the lead back to four. Moretti answered immediately with another layup, making it 75-73 with just six seconds on the clock. Tulsa’s Tylen Riley was then fouled and sent to the line for a one-and-one opportunity with 3.6 seconds left. He missed the first attempt, but a lengthy review for a potential lane violation resulted in a reset and a second chance. Riley missed again, but the rebound was tapped out of bounds by Florida Atlantic, giving Tulsa possession under its own basket with 2.8 seconds remaining. The inbounds pass found Barnstable, who was immediately fouled by Parker. Barnstable made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second, but Isaiah Elohim secured the rebound for Florida Atlantic and called timeout with 1.1 seconds left. The Owls’ final attempt, a long inbound pass and a desperation heave by Elohim from near half-court, was off target, sealing the narrow victory for the visitors. Beyond Green’s scoring, Barnstable provided crucial support with 15 points, including three second-half three-pointers that fueled the comeback. Tyler Behrend added 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds for Tulsa, which won despite being out-rebounded 45-33 and tallying only six assists. For Florida Atlantic, Elohim finished with 15 points and Parker added 12, but the Owls were ultimately undone by poor three-point shooting (7 of 30) and an inability to capitalize on Tulsa’s mistakes, scoring only six points off 10 Golden Hurricane turnovers. Tulsa, conversely, generated 18 points off Florida Atlantic’s 10 giveaways. The game drew an announced crowd of 3,161 and featured 10 lead changes and five ties, living up to its pregame billing as a closely contested conference matchup. Tulsa now travels to face South Florida on Sunday, while Florida Atlantic prepares for a road game at Rice next Wednesday.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Interstat) — A surging Tulsa team riding a seven-game winning streak will face a Florida Atlantic squad looking to steady itself in American Athletic Conference play when the Golden Hurricane visit the Owls on Wednesday night. Tulsa (19-3, 8-1 AAC), among the nation’s winningest teams, arrives at FAU Gymnasium after a 93-83 victory over Wichita State on Sunday. The Golden Hurricane’s last loss came on Jan. 10. The Owls (14-9, 5-5), meanwhile, are looking to rebound from a difficult stretch, having lost three of their last four games. Their most recent outing was a narrow 76-75 home loss to East Carolina on Sunday. The matchup features a contrast in momentum and will hinge on the play of two key forwards. Tulsa is led by Tylen Riley, who is coming off a career-high 30-point performance against Wichita State. Over his last seven games, Riley has averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists, providing consistent all-around production for the conference leaders. Florida Atlantic will counter with Devin Williams, a defensive force who blocked seven shots in a win over Memphis last month. Williams is averaging 3.0 blocks per game in conference play. His activity will be crucial against a efficient Tulsa offense that has scored 86 or more points in five of its last six wins. The Golden Hurricane have been dominant on the road in AAC play, winning at Charlotte, UAB and Rice during their current streak. Florida Atlantic has struggled for consistency at home in conference action, going 3-3. Wednesday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the programs this season. Following this game, Tulsa will visit South Florida on Sunday, while Florida Atlantic travels to Rice on Feb. 11.