Williams, Curry help VCU beat cold-shooting Memphis 70-59

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Vince Williams Jr. scored 15 points, KeShawn Curry added 12, and VCU beat cold-shooting Memphis 70-59 on Friday night to finish third at the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.

Williams, who made just 6 of 30 from 3-point range last season, hit 3 of 5 from behind the arc. He is 6 of 13 from deep this season. Nah'Shon Hyland scored 12 points — all in the second half — for VCU (2-1) and sophomore Hason Ward had nine points, a career-high seven rebounds and two blocks.

Williams sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around a layup and a dunk by Ward in a 10-0 run that gave VCU a 16-point lead with 11 minutes to play. The Tigers responded by scoring 10 of the next 12 points trim their deficit to 55-47 when Boogie Ellis hit a 3 with 8:11 remaining but they got no closer.

D.J. Jeffries led Memphis (1-2) with 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Lester Quinones added 11 points and Ellis scored 10.

The Rams had nine steals and scored 25 points off 19 Memphis turnovers.

The Tigers shot just 35% (20 of 57) from the field and hit just 6 of 23 from 3-point range.

It was the third game in as many days for both teams.

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