NEW ORLEANS (AP) -P.J. Alawoya scored 18 points and Elbryan Neal's layup put McNeese State ahead to stay in a 61-57 win over Tulane on Wednesday night.
Neal's basket with 2:34 remaining put the Cowboys (4-5) in front 53-51 after the Green Wave (3-6) rallied from a 49-38 deficit with 5:56 to play.
Alawoya added a free throw to put McNeese State ahead 54-51 with 1:57 left, but Kris Richard, who led Tulane with 23 points, answered with a jumper to make it 54-53 at the 1:32 mark. Diego Kapelan then nailed a 3-pointer, his first points of the game, for a 57-53 lead with 59 seconds left.
After two McNeese free throws and one by Tulane, the Green Wave pulled within 59-57 on a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left by Kevin Sims, who scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half.
Alawoya's two free throws with 7 seconds left clinched it for McNeese.
Stephan Martin added 15 points for the Cowboys.
