Arizona State rallied from a late eight-point deficit with a 15-3 run to defeat VCU, 63-59, on Wednesday at the Legends Classic in Brooklyn.
Jayden Nunn led the Rams (2-1) with 13 points and five assists, and Jamir Watkins and Brandon Johns Jr. scored 10 each. Johns also corralled six rebounds.
Jalen DeLoach had nine points, eight rebounds and a block for VCU.
Frankie Collins led all players with 15 points for Arizona State. He also grabbed six rebounds and three steals.
Desmond Cambridge Jr. hit a go-ahead floater in the lane with 1:08 left to give ASU (3-1) a 61-59 lead. VCU got two looks at the basket on the ensuing possession, but missed on a three-pointer and a floater. A pair of Horne free throws with 21 seconds left accounted the final margin.
VCU connected on just 4-of-23 field goals in the second half. The Rams shot 50 percent (14-of-28) in the first half and 17 percent in the second.
The Rams took a 52-41 lead with 8:58 remaining on a three-pointer by senior forward David Shriver, but watched as Arizona State put together a 15-4 burst, punctuated by back-to-back 3-pointers by D.J. Horne and Austin Nunez, to tie the game at 56-all with 5:08 left.
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Chris Graham
