SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) T.J. Cromer scored 15 points and Desonta Bradford had 14 to lead East Tennessee State to a 72-66 win over UC Irvine on Sunday and a 3-0 record at the Sanford Pentagon Showcase.
Irvine led 34-31 at the half and pushed it to eight early before Bradford's dunk at 12:54 gave the Buccaneers a 46-45 lead. A Julian Waters 3 at the 11 minute mark put ETSU up for good, 50-47.
The Aggies tied the game at 55 but the Bucs reeled off eight straight, starting with two Cromer free throws and ending with his 3. The lead was slashed to three inside the final minute but Bradford made four free throws and Cromer two in the last 26 seconds.
ETSU (5-1) finished 17 of 23 from the line in the second half. Cromer was named MVP of the round-robin tourney.
Ioannis Dimakopoulos had 21 points and Jaron Martin 19 for the Aggies (3-4).
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