KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) R.J. Nembhard scored 14 points and TCU Horned Frogs held on for a 56-52 victory over Liberty Flames in the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic on Sunday.
The Horned Frogs (3-0) had a nine-point lead with two minutes left but the Flames got a 3-pointer from Darius McGhee then two baskets off turnovers generated by their press to close within four with 30 seconds remaining. A missed free throw gave Liberty the ball back with 17.2 seconds remaining but Chris Parker had his pass deflected with 2.1 remaining and the ensuing inbounds pass went off McGhee's fingers. Nembhard added two free throws for the final score.
Nembhard was only 3-of-10 shooting but 8 of 9 from the line, including two free throws that capped a 9-0 run that snapped a tie with under eight minutes to go.
Liberty (2-2) came in having made 41 3-pointers but in their fourth game in five days they were 6 of 28 from the arc. McGhee finished with 15 points but was just 2 of 10 on 3-pointers. He had nine rebounds. Parker scored 13 points.
The Flames beat Mississippi State and South Carolina in their previous two games but went to 0-7 against the Big 12 in program history.
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1st Half
LIB
Flames
26
TCU
Horned Frogs
27
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Kevin Samuel vs. Micaiah Abii (Kevin Easley Jr. gains possession)
19:37
+2
RJ Nembhard makes two point driving layup
0-2
19:18
+3
Micaiah Abii makes three point jump shot (Kyle Rode assists)
3-2
18:47
+3
Francisco Farabello makes three point jump shot
3-5
18:19
Kyle Rode misses three point jump shot
18:17
Kevin Samuel defensive rebound
18:00
Chuck O'Bannon Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:58
Flames defensive rebound
17:58
Kevin Easley Jr. personal foul (Kyle Rode draws the foul)
17:40
Chris Parker misses two point layup
17:38
Chuck O'Bannon Jr. defensive rebound
17:28
Chuck O'Bannon Jr. misses two point jump shot
17:26
Elijah Cuffee defensive rebound
17:18
Chris Parker misses three point jump shot
17:16
Horned Frogs defensive rebound
17:00
Mickey Pearson Jr. turnover (out of bounds)
16:38
Micaiah Abii misses three point jump shot
16:36
Kyle Rode offensive rebound
16:29
Flames turnover (shot clock violation)
16:02
RJ Nembhard misses two point jump shot
16:00
RJ Nembhard offensive rebound
15:59
Blake Preston shooting foul (RJ Nembhard draws the foul)
15:59
TV timeout
15:59
RJ Nembhard misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:59
+1
RJ Nembhard makes regular free throw 2 of 2
3-6
15:41
Kyle Rode misses two point layup
15:39
Francisco Farabello defensive rebound
15:22
Kevin Samuel misses two point layup
15:20
Kevin Samuel offensive rebound
15:18
+2
Kevin Samuel makes two point putback layup
3-8
14:50
Elijah Cuffee misses three point jump shot
14:48
Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
14:24
+3
Taryn Todd makes three point jump shot (RJ Nembhard assists)
3-11
14:08
Chris Parker turnover (lost ball) (Taryn Todd steals)
14:05
Chris Parker shooting foul (Taryn Todd draws the foul)
14:05
+1
Taryn Todd makes regular free throw 1 of 2
3-12
14:05
Taryn Todd misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:05
Elijah Cuffee defensive rebound
13:44
+3
Darius McGhee makes three point jump shot (Chris Parker assists)
6-12
13:30
RJ Nembhard misses three point jump shot
13:28
Darius McGhee defensive rebound
13:14
Darius McGhee misses three point jump shot
13:12
Mike Miles defensive rebound
13:05
Horned Frogs 30 second timeout
12:45
Mike Miles misses three point jump shot
12:43
Darius McGhee defensive rebound
12:28
Darius McGhee misses three point jump shot
12:26
Kevin Samuel defensive rebound
12:16
+3
Mickey Pearson Jr. makes three point jump shot (RJ Nembhard assists)
6-15
11:54
+2
Elijah Cuffee makes two point layup
8-15
11:44
Francisco Farabello offensive foul (Kyle Rode draws the foul)
11:44
Francisco Farabello turnover
11:44
TV timeout
11:30
Keegan McDowell turnover (out of bounds)
11:03
+2
Mike Miles makes two point step back jump shot
8-17
10:35
+2
Micaiah Abii makes two point driving layup
10-17
10:35
Kevin Samuel shooting foul (Micaiah Abii draws the foul)
10:35
Micaiah Abii misses regular free throw 1 of 1
10:35
Kevin Samuel defensive rebound
10:07
PJ Fuller misses two point layup
10:05
Micaiah Abii defensive rebound
10:05
PJ Fuller personal foul (Micaiah Abii draws the foul)
9:45
Darius McGhee misses three point jump shot
9:42
Horned Frogs defensive rebound
9:23
Francisco Farabello misses two point layup
9:21
Micaiah Abii defensive rebound
9:21
Kevin Samuel personal foul (Micaiah Abii draws the foul)
9:03
Kyle Rode misses three point jump shot
9:01
Mike Miles defensive rebound
8:57
Mike Miles turnover (lost ball) (Keegan McDowell steals)
8:45
+2
Chris Parker makes two point driving layup
12-17
8:09
PJ Fuller misses three point jump shot
8:07
Darius McGhee defensive rebound
7:46
Micaiah Abii misses two point jump shot
7:44
PJ Fuller defensive rebound
7:30
Chuck O'Bannon Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:28
Kyle Rode defensive rebound
7:04
+2
Chris Parker makes two point layup
14-17
6:45
Kevin Easley Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:43
Chris Parker defensive rebound
6:36
Keegan McDowell misses three point jump shot
6:34
Mike Miles defensive rebound
6:22
Micaiah Abii shooting foul (PJ Fuller draws the foul)
6:22
TV timeout
6:22
+1
PJ Fuller makes regular free throw 1 of 2
14-18
6:22
+1
PJ Fuller makes regular free throw 2 of 2
14-19
6:03
+2
Chris Parker makes two point jump shot
16-19
5:46
+2
Taryn Todd makes two point floating jump shot
16-21
5:29
Darius McGhee misses three point jump shot
5:27
Darius McGhee offensive rebound
5:23
+2
Darius McGhee makes two point layup
18-21
4:54
Kevin Easley Jr. turnover (lost ball)
4:41
Chris Parker misses two point layup
4:39
Kevin Easley Jr. defensive rebound
4:28
Shiloh Robinson blocks PJ Fuller's two point jump shot
4:26
Shiloh Robinson defensive rebound
3:57
Darius McGhee misses three point jump shot
3:53
Horned Frogs defensive rebound
3:53
TV timeout
3:27
+2
Kevin Easley Jr. makes two point layup (Francisco Farabello assists)
18-23
3:10
+2
Blake Preston makes two point layup (Elijah Cuffee assists)
20-23
2:42
Keegan McDowell shooting foul (RJ Nembhard draws the foul)
2:42
+1
RJ Nembhard makes regular free throw 1 of 2
20-24
2:42
+1
RJ Nembhard makes regular free throw 2 of 2
20-25
2:23
+3
Keegan McDowell makes three point jump shot (Blake Preston assists)
23-25
2:02
+2
Kevin Easley Jr. makes two point layup (Francisco Farabello assists)
