Box Score (PDF)

Kent, Ohio – Kent State hit 18 three-pointers and Kris Brewer hit the game-winning free throw with 5.1 seconds to lift the Golden Flashes to a 79-78 victory over USC Upstate Friday evening at the M.A.C. Center in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament.

USC Upstate trailed by four points with just over a minute remaining when Ty Greene hit his career-high sixth three-pointer of the game to pull the Spartans within a point.  Green finished with 20 points, six assists and two steals.

Kellon Thomas hit a pair of free throws on the ensuing Kent State possession to push its lead back to three points with 31 seconds left.

Torrey Craig converted an old fashioned three-point play on the other end to pull the Spartans and Golden Flashes even at 78-78 with 16 seconds remaining. Craig finished 21 points and four assists for his 32nd career game with at least 20 points. The Great Falls, S.C., native also hit three 3-pointers and moved into second place all-time at USC Upstate.

Brewer drew a foul on the final Kent State possession and hit the second of two free throws to give the Golden Flashes a one point lead with 5.1 seconds on the clock. Upstate rushed the ball down the floor and hit Ricardo Glenn on the block for a baseline shot, but his shot attempt went wide and off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Devareaux Manley led Kent State with 21 points and was 7-for-10 from three-point range. Derek Jackson added 15 points and hit three 3-pointers, while Darren Goodson added 12 points and six rebounds.

Glenn finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Jodd Maxey added 12 points and five rebounds to help Upstate hold a 32-10 advantage in points in the paint.

Goodson and Manley were a combined 7-for-9 from three-point range and Kent State used 61.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc in the first half to take a 42-34 lead over Upstate at halftime.

Kent State hit its first three shots and raced out to an 8-2 lead less than two minutes into the game, but USC Upstate used a 15-3 run thereafter capped by a jumper from Babatunde Olumuyiwa to take its largest lead of the first half at 17-11 midway through the period.

The Golden Flashes made six of their next seven three-pointers to erase the six-point deficit and open up a nine-point advantage with just under eight minutes left in the half. Craig pulled Upstate to within four points with 4:19 remaining, but three-pointers from Thomas and Goodson sandwiched in between a bucket by Glenn pushed the Kent State lead back out to eight points.

Kent State would go on to lead by as many as 10 points before Upstate got a layup from Glenn to trim the lead to eight points at halftime.

Goodson and Manley led Kent State with 12 points apiece, while Craig led all scorers with 14 points.

USC Upstate returns to action Saturday at 5 p.m. when the Spartans battle Western Carolina in their final game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament.

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