National Basketball Association
Saint Joseph's 78, Texas Tech 77
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, November 21, 2024
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Officials:
# Sean Hull, # Patrick Evans, # Michael Palau
Attendance:
6941
By Field Level Media
Justice Ajogbor made a free throw with 13.7 seconds left as Saint Joseph's edged Texas Tech 78-77 Thursday in a Legends Classic semifinal matchup in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Erik Reynolds II scored 26 points to lead the Hawks (4-1), while Xzayvier Brown went 13 of 13 from the foul line en route to 20 points. Rasheer Fleming chipped in 14 points for Saint Joe's before fouling out with 4:07 remaining.
Texas Tech (4-1) absorbed its first loss despite 22 points and 18 rebounds from JT Toppin. Darrion Williams contributed 18 points and Chance McMillian notched 17 for the Red Raiders, who shot just 4 of 20 from 3-point range.
Toppin was whistled for a loose-ball foul with 13.7 seconds left, sending Ajogbor to the free-throw stripe with the game on the line. He missed the first but made the second for a one-point lead, and Willams' jumper in the lane rimmed off at the buzzer.
The Hawks advance to play Texas in Friday's championship game. The Red Raiders will take on Syracuse in the third-place contest.
Anthony Finkley, Reynolds and Fleming each made a 3-pointer in the final five minutes of the first half as the Hawks led by 16 points, but the Red Raiders scored the final six points to claw within 45-35 at the break.
Reynolds led all scorers with 17 first-half points and then made a 3-pointer on the Hawks' first possession of the second half, but Saint Joseph's did not score again for the next 5 ½ minutes.
After trailing by 11 in the second half, Texas Tech gradually chipped away and went ahead 64-62 on McMillian's three-point play with 6:44 to go.
The game was tied at 68, 70, 72 and 77 down the stretch, with both teams making big shots in the process.
McMillian's 3-pointer put the Red Raiders ahead 75-74 with 2:28 left before Finkley's 3-pointer tilted the scoreboard back in the Hawks' favor. Williams then made a no-look pass to Toppin for a layup with 1:07 remaining, tying the game at 77-77.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Texas Tech |
|
Saint Joseph's |
|
JT Toppin 22 |
Scoring |
Erik Reynolds II 26 |
|
Christian Anderson 4 |
Assists |
Xzayvier Brown 6 |
|
JT Toppin 18 |
Rebounds |
Rasheer Fleming 7 |
|
JT Toppin 6 |
Free Throws Made |
Xzayvier Brown 13 |
|
Elijah Hawkins 2 |
Steals |
Xzayvier Brown 2 |
|
JT Toppin 2 |
Blocks |
Justice Ajogbor 1 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| Texas Tech
|
77 |
42.4 |
4-20 |
17-20 |
14 |
41 |
3 |
5 |
11 |
| Saint Joseph's
|
78 |
46.0 |
12-22 |
20-29 |
17 |
25 |
2 |
8 |
13 |
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