With a plethora of talented newcomers joining the Tulane Green Wave roster this season, the team has filled the missing pieces that could help solve the puzzle that brings the program back into the hunt for championships.
During the offseason, the addition of Georgia transfer Mari Jordan and former Georgetown guard Rowan Brumbaugh brings an exciting dynamic to the position that the Green Wave has lacked during Ron Hunter’s tenure in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“I’ve really been here without a true point guard the entire time and we’ve got two big-time point guards this season,” Hunter said. “Kevin Cross did a great job for us (last season), but he had to play. He and Sion (James), for the most part, played point for us a lot and that was out of position, but the two-point guards we’ve got in really make things a lot easier. We feel very confident with the two guys we have in the program right now and they’ve both been outstanding.”
Since competing for Northfield Mount Herman School in Massachusetts, Brumbaugh has made an impact every time he steps on the court. Coming out of high school, Rivals rated him a four-star recruit and the 72nd-best player in the country.
Before his time at Georgetown, he was a member of the 2022-2023 Texas squad, where he redshirted. Once Brumbaugh arrived in Washington, DC, he flashed his potential as a sophomore for the Hoyas. The athletic guard made an appearance in all 31 games with 20 starts last season. Through those 31 games, Brumbaugh averaged 8.6 points, 2.6 assists and 22.3 minutes per game. He racked up a shooting percentage of 40.7 from the field, 37.0 percent beyond the arc and 27 made three-pointers for the Hoyas.
When Brumbaugh made his decision to enter the transfer portal, there was one team that stood out above the rest. That squad was Hunter and the Green Wave.
“The whole coaching staff flew out to see me (after) two days in the portal,” Brumbaugh said. “We all had lunch and we got along really well. Obviously, Tulane is a great academic school. My uncle played football here and watching them play offensively and defensively, I thought it fit how I play.”
The Green Wave has worked strenuously in the offseason to form an identity and chemistry between the multitude of newcomers to the roster ahead of tip-off. For transfers and freshmen alike, coming to a brand-new place can be scary and it can be hard to adjust to a new lifestyle with complete strangers.
This year’s Tulane squad has come together as one and is looking to build something special in New Orleans this season, however.
“It’s been really smooth. We’re all around the same age, so we really don’t have to force our relationships,” Brumbaugh said. “We all get along pretty well, we have a lot of the same interests, so we’re pretty close in that regard. My transition has been really smooth. Credit to all the teammates and guys just helping me out. The coaches have been great (and) New Orleans is a great city, so I’ve loved it.”
There is no doubt that last season was a tough year for the Green Wave men’s basketball program. Last year’s roster was forced to fight through an extensive amount of adversity, while still trying to stay focused on the game of basketball.
But this year’s squad has unlimited potential with the undeniable chemistry and bonds that the newcomers and returners have made in such a short time of being together.
“It’s going to be what we make it,” Brumbaugh said. “We’re talented enough to do whatever we want, but if we collectively buy-in defensively, I think we could be a really, really good team in this conference. But I mean, I don’t want to say too much. I just want to let the fans see. We’re really talented offensively. I think we can be really good and surprise a lot of people.”
