Hughes, Brown help Georgia Southern hold off UMKC 78-75

Nov 21, 2017, 07:31 pm

ESTERO, Fla. -- Mike Hughes and Tookie Brown each had 17 points, Montae Glenn had a double-double and Georgia Southern earned a spot in the Gulf Coast Showcase title game with a 78-75 win over Missouri-Kansas City on Tuesday night.

Glenn had 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 12 rebounds and Ike Smith had 12 points and matched Brown's eight rebounds for the Eagles (5-0).

The game featured 28 lead changes and 15 ties. Georgia Southern's biggest lead was seven with 3 1/2 minutes left in the first half. The Kangaroos (2-4) never led by more than four.

Isaiah Ross, who scored 16 points, gave UMKC its last lead, 73-71, on a 3-pointer with 4:21 to play. Hughes ended a three-minute Georgia Southern drought with a jumper that tied it with 1:41 remaining. Jared Hamilton had a steal and knocked down the go-ahead jumper at 1:14. An offensive foul on Ross, the Roos' third-straight turnover, produced a free throw by Brown at 21 seconds. Ross cut it to one with a layup at seven seconds, ending a dry spell of 4:14, but Hughes finished it with a pair of free throws.

UMCKC hit 12 of 28 3s to 6 of 18 for Georgia Southern but the Eagles had a 45-28 rebounding advantage.