NASSAU, Bahamas – Tookie Brown tallied 22 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Georgia Southern held off Montana 80-77 to claim the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase title Sunday night in Kendal Isaacs National Gymnasium.
Brown was named the tournament MVP, and
Montae Glenn earned all-tournament honors after averaging 11.7 points and nine rebounds while shooting 75 percent from the floor. It is the Eagles' first in-season tournament championship since winning the Islander Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 2003.
Georgia Southern (5-0) won three games in three days despite losing leading scorer
Quan Jackson late in the opening game of the weekend, and starting forward
Isaiah Crawley missed the second half of tonight's contest with an injury.
Eagles of the Game
Ike Smith posted 15 points, six rebounds and two assists, and Glenn finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Key moments
Montana (4-1) whittled a 20-point halftime deficit down to one point twice inside the final 1:30, and Brown answered for the Eagles each time. The senior hit a runner, and then after a score by the Grizzlies, got fouled on another runner and made the free throw for a 79-75 cushion with 26 seconds left. Clinging to a three-point lead as the clock wound down, Smith contested a 3-point try by Bobby Morehead, and after the Griz got the rebound,
Elijah McCadden blocked a 3-point attempt by Ahmaad Rorie as the final buzzer sounded.
Stat of the Game
Georgia Southern made just one field goal in the first 12 minutes of the second half, but the Eagles held Montana at bay by making 19-of-23 from the free-throw line in the game.
Next up
The Eagles have eight days off before playing host to ETSU Nov. 27 in Hanner Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will air live on ESPN+.