Treveon Graham scored 26 points, and Rob Brandenberg added 15, including two late 3-pointers, and VCU beat No. 19 Memphis, 78-65, on Thursday night in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The Rams used their frenetic style of play to take a 16-point lead in the first half only to see the Tigers pull to 63-61 with 4:05 to play. VCU then went on an 11-0 run with all the points scored by Graham and Brandenberg. Brandenberg hit two 3s in the run and Graham one as the Rams finished 13 for 22 from behind the arc.
VCU ( 3-1) will meet No. 5 Duke in today’s semifinals. The Blue Devils beat Minnesota, 89-71, behind Seth Curry’s 25 points and Mason Plumlee’s 20 points and career high-matching 17 rebounds.
Adonis Thomas had 19 points for the Tigers (2-1), who committed 22 turnovers that the Rams turned into 33 points.
The Rams weren’t perfect, committing 19 turnovers that Memphis turned into 23 points.
The difference turned out to be 3-point shooting. Memphis outshot VCU from the field making 27 of 51 (52.9 percent) while the Rams were 26 of 54 (48.1 percent).
While the Rams were making 13 of 22 from beyond the arc, the Tigers converted just 2 of 7.
ELSEWHERE
Laurence Bowers scored 19 points – 13 in the second half – and grabbed 10 rebounds as No. 13 Missouri beat Stanford, 78-70, in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Bowers has scored more points after halftime in every game this season for the Tigers (4-0). He came in averaging 15.5 points a game, 14.0 in second halves.
Phil Pressey added 18 points and eight assists for Missouri. Chasson Randle had 22 points for the Cardinal (3-2), which has lost two straight.
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