University of Oregon
3-2
VCU
4-1
UO Falls to No. 14 VCU, 77-63
11/26/14 | Men's Basketball
NEW YORK (AP) - Melvin Johnson scored 19 points and Treveon Graham had 13 to lead No. 14 Virginia Commonwealth past Oregon 77-63 on Tuesday night.
The Rams (4-1) led by as many as 14 and never trailed in the Legends Classic consolation game at the Barclays Center.
They bounced back from the first loss of the season with a 12-0 run that opened the game against the Ducks (3-2). Johnson hit three of VCU's six 3-pointers and the Rams held a 40-31 edge on the boards.
Jordan Burgess scored 12 points, Briante Weber had 11 and Mo Alie-Cox 10 to put all five starters in double figures.
Dillon Brooks scored 15 points for Oregon. Joseph Young, who had averaged 24.5 points, missed 11 of 13 shots and had only nine points.
The scrappy Ducks fought back from the early hole - even as VCU fans chanted ''Just Give Up!'' on several possessions - and nearly pulled off the comeback.
Jalil Abdul-Bassit helped Oregon pull to 39-36 with a 3-pointer, and Elgin Cook, who scored 11 points, hit two free throws to make it a one-point game.
Weber halted the run with a three-point play on a crashing layup down the lane, complete with a baseline flex. JeQuan Lewis had a fantastic strip under one basket that led to Johnson's bucket on the other to build the lead to six.
The Ducks refused to go away, with Ahmaad Rorie sinking a jumper off a turnover and Brooks' 3 that made it 61-55 with 5:33 left.
VCU used its in-your-face pressure defense that turned the mid-major program into a NCAA tournament regular to rattle the Ducks.
Burgess scored on a baseline layup, and pumped his fist in celebration for the bucket and Cook's fifth foul. Burgess sank the free throw and restored the double-digit lead, 67-57.
Oregon, which lost to No. 19 Michigan on Monday, had 20 turnovers and shot only 35 percent in the second half.
VCU tried early to turn this one into a rout.
Johnson made consecutive 3s to cap a 12-0 run that opened the game and gave VCU a lead it would never relinquish. Graham scored 10 points in the half and helped the Rams, who lost to No. 12 Villanova on Monday, take a 35-27 halftime lead.
Brooks was Oregon's lone offensive threat, hitting a pair of 3s for 12 points.
Notes: Young made all four free throws and is 30-of-30 on the season... He led the Pac-12 last year in free throw percentage at 88 percent... Cook (11 points) and Brooks (15 points) are the only two Ducks to reach double figures in all five games this season...UO finished 12-of-13 from the line (92.3%), giving them their first game above 90 percent from the line since last year's NCAA Tournament game against Wisconsin (21-of-23, 91.3%)... VCU's 20 turnovers was the most Oregon has forced a team into since their game at home against USC last year (February 1) when they forced the Trojans into 22.
Up Next: Oregon will play Portland State at Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.
