Brandon Johns Jr. and Zeb Jackson combined for 34 points as VCU held off a second-half charge from Pitt in a 71-67 win on Thursday in the third-place game of the Vivid Seats Legends Classic.
Johns scored a game-high 18 points for the Rams, including 11 in the second half, and tied a career-high with nine rebounds. He connected on 9-of-11 free throws.
Jackson, a junior guard, poured in a career-high 16 points, including 11 after the break. Jackson converted 4-of-8 from the field and 7-of-8 at the charity stripe. He added three steals, three assists and three rebounds for the Rams (3-1).
Blake Hinson led Pitt (1-3) with 18 points.
Johns scored seven straight VCU points, including a traditional three-point play in traffic, to give VCU a 61-60 lead with 1:35 remaining. VCU hit 8-of-10 free throws in the final 90 seconds to keep the Panthers at bay.
VCU used an 11-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer by senior forward David Shriver and a driving layup by Jackson to erase a six-point Pitt lead and push the Rams in front 46-41 with 10:47 left. A short time later, Hinson buried a three-pointer from the wing to cap a 16-6 Pitt run and give the Panthers a 57-51 advantage.
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Chris Graham
