NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on the Emerald Coast Classic (all times local):
9:30 p.m.
Jarron Cumberland scored 25 points to lead Cincinnati to the Emerald Coast Classic championship by defeating Mississippi 71-57 on Saturday.
It was a reversal of fortune for the Bearcats, who had lost the 2014 title game to the Rebels in the tournament’s first year.
Cincinnati (5-1) squandered a 13-point first half lead but roared back in the second half.
Cumberland, who was named the tournament’s outstanding player, made 13-of-14 free throws - setting tournament records for foul shots made and attempted. He hit only 5 of 17 from the field.
Devontae Shuler led Mississippi (4-2) with a career-high 24 points and Breein Tyree added 14.
Keith Williams broke a 7-7 tie with a 3 pointer that launched a 12-2 run and gave Cincinnati a 10 point lead at 19-9. The Bearcats eventually got the lead up to 13 and maintained a double-digit advantage until the last three minutes of the half. Ole Miss went on a 9-2 run to narrow the gap to 37-33 at the half including a Shuler 3 pointer at the buzzer.
The Rebels opened the second half with an 8-3 run to tie the score at 41-all. The Bearcats responded with a 14-2 run to get the lead back to double digits and never looked back.
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5:25 p.m.
King McClure scored a career-high 27 points to lead Baylor to third place in the Emerald Coast Classic with a 72-61 victory over George Mason on Saturday.
It was Scott Drew’s 300th victory in 15 years as coach of the Bears. He is among 17 active coaches who have hit that milestone with their present teams.
Looking on was his father, Homer Drew, who notched 317 wins at Valparaiso and 640 in his career before retiring. The younger Drew has 320 career wins including his one season at Valparaiso.
McClure shot 8 of 17 from the field including 5 of 11 on 3-pointers. Makai Mason added 18 points for Baylor (4-2)
Otis Livingston led George Mason (2-5) with 26 points. Jarred Reuter added 15.
Baylor was ahead by just a point, 28-27, at the intermission after six lead changes and three ties in the first half. McClure scored nine straight in just over a minute as Baylor went from four down to five ahead at 26-21 with 2:54 left in the half.
McClure began his run with a pair of free throws then he grabbed a steal and dunked, hit a 3 pointer and finished with a layup. The Patriots, however, outscored the Bears 6-2 to close the half.
George Mason retook the lead at 32-30 early in the second half, but McClure then put Baylor ahead for good with another 3-pointer.
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2:30 p.m.
Gavin Peppers, after not scoring in the first half, put up 22 points including the game-winner in overtime and Nicholls State defeated Western Michigan 62-61 in the championship game of the Visitors bracket on Saturday.
Seth Dugan scored all six of WMU’s overtime points including the Broncos’ final basket with 2:43 left for a three-point lead before Pepper drove the lane twice including a final basket with 22 seconds remaining. WMU (4-3) missed two shots in the final seconds.
The Colonels (4-4) trailed by nine early in the second before tying the game on a Danny Garrick 3-pointer with 12:48 left in regulation. WMU’s Josh Davis sent the game into overtime at 55-all with a basket with 24 seconds left.
Garrick scored 12 points and Elvis Harvey 10 for Nicholls State.
Dugan had 22 points and 12 rebounds and Davis 10 points and 10 rebounds while Michael Flowers added 17 points.
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12:30 p.m.
Randy Miller scored 22 points, and three others added 15 each as North Carolina Central broke away early and defeated Southern 83-71 in the Visitors bracket consolation game.
Miller scored 13 in the first half as NC Central used an 11-0 burst to scoot away from Southern and led 39-31 at the break.
The Eagles (2-5) shot 65 percent from the floor after halftime, making 15 of 23 shots. Miller shot 6 of 11 with three 3-pointers, converted 7 of 10 at the foul line and led with five assists. Larry McKnight, Rashann London and Raasean Davis each scored 15 with London shooting 6 of 7.
Jayden Saddler paced Southern with 18 points, Sidney Umude added 17 with 10 rebounds and Eddie Reese scored 14.
London scored on a drive six seconds into the second half and NC Central put together a 15-4 run in the first five minutes. Southern didn’t get closer than nine after that.
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