Tyson Brown put up a career-high 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but Georgia Southern men's basketball (11-11, 4-6 SBC) came out on the short end of a back-and-forth affair at Troy (14-7, 7-4) on Thursday.
GS got off to a scorching beginning in the game. Braylhan Thomas had five points early on, knocking down a three at 16:20 to make it a 10-3 lead.
Brown converted an early and-one opportunity on a layup, the first of four in the first half against the Trojans. The lead remained at seven after the under-12.
Bradley Douglas' three at 7:56 made it a 25-15 lead - one that the Trojans chipped into over the ensuing minutes.
Leading by three with 54 seconds in the half, Troy rallied for a lead, converting on a last-second shot to go up 41-40 heading into the locker room.
The lead flip-flopped over the next few minutes. After Eren Banks' first three of the half put GS up 45-44, the Trojans ran back to a four-point lead.
Troy stretched it to five with under ten minutes left, but the Eagles battled back. A 7-0 run aided by Nate Brafford's corner three gave the Eagles the lead back at 64-61, but Troy responded with a three to knot things at the under-eight.
The Eagles briefly regained the lead on Brafford's second-chance tip-in at 5:03, but saw the offense dry up following it. Troy extended the lead to seven, and despite consecutive threes by Banks, GS fell in a tough one by a score of 81-74.
Brown led the Eagles with a career-best 16 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double of the season, third of his career and first since the West Georgia game in November. Banks (14) and Douglas (10) also reached double figures. Banks surpassed 500 career points with his sixth point of the game.
Brafford added nine, and Holiman headed up the assists with four.
GS heads to Reed Green Coliseum for a matchup with Southern Miss next.
