Jaylen Forbes scored 15 points as Tulane overcame a slow to start to win its season opener 66-57 over Lamar in the opening game of the Tulane Classic on Friday afternoon.

Forbes, one of four transfers (Alabama) on a Tulane roster featuring no seniors, made 4 of 8 3-pointers. Tylan Pope added 12 points for the Green Wave.

Tulane, 12-18 and 4-14 in the American Athletic Conference a year ago, outscored the Cardinals 45-27 in the second half.

Anderson Kopp scored 18, Quinlan Bennett added 14 and Ellis Jefferson scored 13 to lead the Cardinals, who opened their season with an 89-45 loss at No. 17 Houston on Wednesday. Lamar shot 3 of 15 from beyond the arc.

Lamar opened an 11-point lead at the outset of the second half, but Forbes made a 3-pointer that started a 7-0 run for Tulane.

Jordan Walker's jumper pulled the Green Wave within two points before the Cardinals rebuilt the lead to seven points.

Jadan Coleman's 3-pointer and Gabe Watson's three-point play pulled Tulane within one point.

Forbes' 3-pointer gave the Green Wave their first lead of the game at 44-42 with 8:46 remaining in the game.

Nobal Days added two free throws and Coleman his a 3-pointer to increase Tulane's lead to 49-42.

Bennett's free throw ended the Green Wave's 14-0 run, but Pope answered with a three-point play and Days added a layup that gave Tulane a 54-43 lead with 3:48 left. Lamar picked up its scoring pace down the stretch, scoring 14 points, but it wasn't enough.

The Cardinals scored the first six points of the game before the Green Wave scored four straight. Lamar went on a 10-2 run to open a 16-6 lead. Tulane closed within six points on three occasions before Kopp made a 3-pointer.

Kopp had five points as the Cardinals extended their lead to 11 before Forbes' two free throws cut the lead to 30-21 at halftime.

--Field Level Media