UMKC men’s basketball wins opening game of Florida tournament

Broderick Robinson had career highs of five three-pointers and 26 points, leading UMKC to a 74-63 victory over Manhattan on Monday in the opening game of the Gulf Coast Showcase.

Robinson was 7-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 8 from behind the arc, and made 7 of 8 free throws with five assists and five rebounds. Jordan Giles and Robert Knar added nine points each. The Kangaroos (2-3) shot better from three-point range, 9 of 18 (50 percent), than overall (46.8 percent).

UMKC will play Georgia Southern, which beat Missouri State 74-73, at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the semifinals. The final day of the tournament is Wednesday. The Kangaroos will either play in the championship at 6:30 p.m. or the consolation game at 4 p.m.

Aaron Walker Jr. scored 14 points and Rich Williams and Zavier Turner 10 each for the Jaspers (2-1), who were just 3 of 20 on three-pointers.

Robinson hit a pair of three-pointers and scored eight points in a 14-5 start to the game. The Kangaroos held on to the lead, leading by seven at halftime.

The Jaspers cut the lead to one, 47-46, with 10:19 left before the Kangaroos responded with a 17-5 run, with seven points from Robinson. Manhattan got within five in the final minute before Robinson sank four straight free throws and Xavier Bishop two.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 1:25 PM with the headline "UMKC men’s basketball wins opening game of Florida tournament."