STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) – Tookie Brown and Ike Smith combined for eight 3-pointers, 44 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists on Monday night and Georgia Southern beat Coastal Carolina 91-80 to remain unbeaten in the Big South Conference.
Brown hit four 3s and scored 23 and Smith made 8 of 14 from the field, blocked three shots and had two steals. B.J. Gladden and Mike Hughes added 12 points apiece and Montae Glenn scored 11.
Smith hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give Georgia Southern (14-6, 7-0), which never trailed, a 19-9 lead. It was 44-34 at halftime before a 6-0 run by the Chanticleers cut it to 61-56 with 9:48 to go – the closest margin since midway through the first half. Smith answered with a 3 and then hit another during a 20-4 run that made it 81-60 nearly five minutes later.
Elijah Wilson and Colton Ray-St Cyr scored 15 apiece for Coastal Carolina (9-11, 4-3), which fell to 4-1 all-time against the Eagles.
Georgia Southern shot 52.7 percent overall, hit 13 3-pointers and outscored the Chanticleers 20-5 from the free-throw line.
