Tulane was executing its game plan just as coach Ed Conroy had mapped it out. The Green Wave was within three points of top-ranked Syracuse late in the first half, and then in the blink of an eye any chance at a major upset disappeared. James Southerland and Brandon Triche each hit a pair of 3-pointers to key a 19-point surge that included five straight makes from beyond the arc in the final 5:43 of the first half, and Syracuse defeated Tulane 80-61 on Thursday night to remain unbeaten.
