NICEVILLE, FLA. – Junior guard Jarron Cumberland scored a game-high 25 points, while a stingy defense held Ole Miss to a season low in field goal percentage enabling Cincinnati to capture the Emerald Coast Classic championship with a 71-57 victory Saturday.

The encounter was a rematch of the inaugural 2014 Emerald Coast Classic championship which was won by Ole Miss, 66-54.

This time around Cincinnati took a chapter out of Ole Miss’ playbook, holding the Rebels to a season low in point production – 22.8 points under their offensive average of 79.8 points entering the game.

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NICEVILLE, FLA. — Guard King McClure collected a career-high 27 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for his first double-double helping lead Baylor to a 72-61 victory against George Mason in the third-place game of the Emerald Coast Classic Saturday.

It marked the 300th coaching victory at Baylor for Scott Drew , who is in his 16th season at the school.

“It meant a water bath, “ beamed Drew, whose team moved to 4-2. “I actually had forgot and didn’t know why they (players) were drenching me.

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NICEVILLE, FLA. – Guard Gavin Peppers’ running floater with 16.9 seconds left lifted Nicholls State to a 62-61 overtime victory past Western Michigan in the fifth-place game of the Emerald Coast Classic Saturday.

Peppers’ game winning heroics came over the outstretched hands of Western Michigan’s seven-foot center Seth Dugan.

“He’s (Peppers) a fifth-year guy making a senior play,” said Nicholls State coach Austin Claunch. “He’s been struggling, not just today but the past couple of games. He’s been playing okay, just not shooting it great. I trust him, he’s a guy that has been here before and has unbelievable poise.

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NICEVILLE, FLA. – Relying on torrid 65.2 percent in the second half, North Carolina Central trimmed Southern, 83-71, in the seventh place game of the Emerald Coast Classic Saturday.

Junior swingman Randy Miller paced a balanced North Carolina Central attack with 22 points, including 13 in the first half. Miller also collected five assists and two steals.

North Carolina Central went on a 11-0 run to break away from a 28-26 lead. The Eagles, who improved to 2-5, never look backed after owning a 39-31 halftime lead.

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NICEVILLE, FLA. – Junior guard Breein Tyree scored a career-high 28 points, including his team’s last nine points, as ole Miss held off Baylor, 78-70, to vault into the championship of the Emerald Coast Classic.

The Rebels, under first-year coach Kermit Davis, will face Cincinnati in a rematch of the inaugural 2014 Emerald Coast Classic won by Ole Miss.

With Terence Davis, the Rebels’ leading scorer plagued by foul trouble, Tyree took over in the second half, tallying 17 points. He hit a career high 13 of 17 free throws, making seven of 10 in the game’s final 1:18.

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