Billups scores 23, Jackson 22 to lead VCU past Penn State to get 86-74 win in ESPN tourney
KISSIMMEE, Fla (AP) Alphonzo Billups III scored a career-high 23 points, Zeb Jackson added 22 and VCU turned back Penn State 86-74 in the seventh-place game at the ESPN Events Invitational on Sunday.
The Rams went 7 of 11 from 3-point range and 9 of 11 from the foul line in the second half to secure the win. Billups hit all five of his shots, including four 3-pointers, scoring 14 points after the break.
Max Shulga made all 10 of his free throws and scored 19 points for the Rams (4-3) and Toibu Lawal added 11. Michael Belle had nine rebounds and Jackson seven with six assists.
With Billups making a career best fives 3s with just one miss, VCU was 8 of 15 behind the arc and shot 54% overall.
Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 17 points with five assists for the Nittany Lions (4-3), who arrived at the tournament undefeated but lost three times by double figures. Qudus Wahab added 14 points and D'Marco Dunn 11. Dunn was 3 for 3 from distance and scored all 11 points in the first half but Penn State finished 5 of 17 behind the arc.
Lawal made a layup and Jackson a 3-pointer to put VCU ahead for good, 62-57, midway through the second half. Jackson's 3 capped an 8-0 run for a 77-64 lead with 4:22 to play. Billups' 3 made it a 14 point game 30 seconds later.
Nick Kern made consecutive layups to cut the deficit to 82-74 but the Rams wrapped it up with four free throws.
Jackson and Shulga both scored 12 points and VCU, which led by as many as nine, took a 46-40 halftime lead. The teams combined for 24 fouls and went 26 of 35 from the foul line. Baldwin had 13 points for the Penn State.
The Rams head home for six games through December, starting with Norfolk State on Friday. The Nittany Lions return home to play Bucknell on Saturday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Qudus Wahab vs. Christian Fermin (Max Shulga gains possession) | ||
| 19:53 | | Max Shulga misses two point jump shot | ||
| 19:51 |  | Qudus Wahab defensive rebound | ||
| 19:23 | | Max Shulga blocks Ace Baldwin Jr.'s two point jump shot | ||
| 19:21 | | Kuany Kuany defensive rebound | ||
| 19:13 | | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point layup (Michael Belle assists) | 0-2 |
| 19:02 | | Zach Hicks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:00 | | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | ||
| 18:47 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. blocks Christian Fermin's two point jump shot | ||
| 18:45 | | Christian Fermin offensive rebound | ||
| 18:45 | | Nick Kern Jr. personal foul | ||
| 18:26 | | +2 | Michael Belle makes two point jump shot | 0-4 |
| 18:23 | | Kuany Kuany personal foul | ||
| 18:03 | | +2 | Qudus Wahab makes two point layup | 2-4 |
| 17:37 | | Zeb Jackson turnover (bad pass) (Ace Baldwin Jr. steals) | ||
| 17:32 | | Qudus Wahab turnover (lost ball) (Zeb Jackson steals) | ||
| 17:24 | | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point jump shot | 2-6 |
| 17:00 | | Qudus Wahab misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:58 | | Kuany Kuany defensive rebound | ||
| 16:48 | | Kanye Clary shooting foul (Zeb Jackson draws the foul) | ||
| 16:48 | | +1 | Zeb Jackson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-7 |
| 16:48 | | Zeb Jackson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 16:48 | | Qudus Wahab defensive rebound | ||
| 16:30 | | Nick Kern Jr. misses two point layup | ||
| 16:28 | | Michael Belle defensive rebound | ||
| 16:23 | | Alphonzo Billups III misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:21 | | Qudus Wahab defensive rebound | ||
| 16:09 | | Max Shulga shooting foul (Ace Baldwin Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 16:09 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 16:09 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 16:09 | | Max Shulga defensive rebound | ||
| 15:50 | | Max Shulga turnover (lost ball) (Zach Hicks steals) | ||
| 15:41 | | Michael Belle personal foul (D'Marco Dunn draws the foul) | ||
| 15:41 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:37 | | Zach Hicks misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:35 | | Max Shulga defensive rebound | ||
| 15:23 | | Michael Belle turnover (bad pass) (Puff Johnson steals) | ||
| 15:12 | | Toibu Lawal blocks D'Marco Dunn's two point layup | ||
| 15:10 | | Max Shulga defensive rebound | ||
| 14:59 | | +2 | Toibu Lawal makes two point dunk (Zeb Jackson assists) | 2-9 |
| 14:38 | | +2 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes two point layup | 4-9 |
| 14:05 | | Rams turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 13:43 | | +3 | D'Marco Dunn makes three point jump shot | 7-9 |
| 13:21 | | Christian Fermin misses two point jump shot | ||
| 13:19 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 13:11 | | +3 | D'Marco Dunn makes three point jump shot (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 10-9 |
| 13:10 | | Rams 30 second timeout | ||
| 13:10 | | D'Marco Dunn technical foul | ||
| 13:10 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 10-10 |
| 13:10 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 10-11 |
| 12:50 | | Max Shulga misses two point jump shot | ||
| 12:48 | | Christian Fermin offensive rebound | ||
| 12:48 | | Christian Fermin turnover (lost ball) (Puff Johnson steals) | ||
| 12:48 | | Christian Fermin personal foul | ||
| 12:32 | | D'Marco Dunn turnover (bad pass) (Christian Fermin steals) | ||
| 12:23 | | Alphonzo Billups III turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 12:06 | | RayQuawndis Mitchell misses two point layup | ||
| 12:04 | | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | ||
| 11:50 | | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point layup | 10-13 |
| 11:37 | | +2 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes two point jump shot | 12-13 |
| 11:20 | | Michael Belle misses two point layup | ||
| 11:18 | | RayQuawndis Mitchell defensive rebound | ||
| 11:10 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:08 | | Toibu Lawal defensive rebound | ||
| 10:44 | | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:42 | | Nittany Lions defensive rebound | ||
| 10:42 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:20 | | Christian Fermin shooting foul (Nick Kern Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 10:20 | | Nick Kern Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 10:20 | | +1 | Nick Kern Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-13 |
| 10:01 | | Qudus Wahab blocks Zeb Jackson's two point layup | ||
| 9:59 | | Zeb Jackson offensive rebound | ||
| 9:51 | | +2 | Roosevelt Wheeler makes two point layup (Zeb Jackson assists) | 13-15 |
| 9:37 | | +2 | Puff Johnson makes two point layup | 15-15 |
| 9:14 | | +2 | Kuany Kuany makes two point jump shot | 15-17 |
| 9:14 | | Kuany Kuany technical foul | ||
| 9:14 | | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 16-17 |
| 9:14 | | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 17-17 |
| 8:50 | | Roosevelt Wheeler shooting foul (Nick Kern Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 8:50 | | +1 | Nick Kern Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-17 |
| 8:50 | | +1 | Nick Kern Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-17 |
| 8:27 | | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point layup | 19-19 |
| 8:27 | | Qudus Wahab shooting foul (Zeb Jackson draws the foul) | ||
| 8:27 | | Zeb Jackson misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 8:27 | | Zach Hicks defensive rebound | ||
| 8:27 | | Jump ball. (Nittany Lions gains possession) | ||
| 8:03 | | +2 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes two point layup | 21-19 |
| 7:43 | | +2 | Max Shulga makes two point jump shot | 21-21 |
| 7:35 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses two point jump shot | ||
| 7:33 | | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | ||
| 7:27 | | Zach Hicks shooting foul (Zeb Jackson draws the foul) | ||
| 7:27 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:27 | | +1 | Zeb Jackson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-22 |
| 7:27 | | Zeb Jackson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 7:27 | | Zach Hicks defensive rebound | ||
| 7:27 | | Toibu Lawal personal foul (Zach Hicks draws the foul) | ||
| 7:27 | | Zach Hicks misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 7:27 | | Michael Belle defensive rebound | ||
| 7:14 | | +2 | Max Shulga makes two point layup | 21-24 |
| 6:50 | | +2 | D'Marco Dunn makes two point jump shot | 23-24 |
| 6:25 | | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point jump shot | 23-26 |
| 6:15 | | Roosevelt Wheeler personal foul (Qudus Wahab draws the foul) | ||
| 6:15 | | +1 | Qudus Wahab makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-26 |
| 6:15 | | +1 | Qudus Wahab makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-26 |
| 6:01 | | +3 | Alphonzo Billups III makes three point jump shot (Zeb Jackson assists) | 25-29 |
| 5:49 | | D'Marco Dunn turnover (traveling) | ||
| 5:36 | | Qudus Wahab personal foul (Zeb Jackson draws the foul) | ||
| 5:30 | | Leo O'Boyle shooting foul (Max Shulga draws the foul) | ||
| 5:30 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-30 |
| 5:30 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-31 |
| 5:09 | | Kuany Kuany personal foul (Ace Baldwin Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 5:09 | | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-31 |
| 5:09 | | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-31 |
| 5:01 | | +2 | Alphonzo Billups III makes two point layup | 27-33 |
| 4:43 | | +3 | D'Marco Dunn makes three point jump shot (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 30-33 |
| 4:15 | | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:13 | | Puff Johnson defensive rebound | ||
| 4:12 | | Toibu Lawal personal foul (Leo O'Boyle draws the foul) | ||
| 4:12 | | +1 | Leo O'Boyle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-33 |
| 4:12 | | +1 | Leo O'Boyle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-33 |
| 3:51 | | Zeb Jackson misses two point layup | ||
| 3:39 | | RayQuawndis Mitchell defensive rebound | ||
| 3:39 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:37 | | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | ||
| 3:32 | | D'Marco Dunn personal foul (Max Shulga draws the foul) | ||
| 3:32 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:32 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-34 |
| 3:32 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-35 |
| 3:17 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Max Shulga steals) | ||
| 3:10 | | +2 | Toibu Lawal makes two point layup (Max Shulga assists) | 32-37 |
| 2:45 | | Nick Kern Jr. turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 2:33 | | +2 | Michael Belle makes two point layup | 32-39 |
| 2:31 | | Official timeout | ||
| 2:15 | | +2 | RayQuawndis Mitchell makes two point layup (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 34-39 |
| 1:55 | | +2 | Alphonzo Billups III makes two point layup (Zeb Jackson assists) | 34-41 |
| 1:55 | | +2 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes two point jump shot (Zach Hicks assists) | 36-41 |
| 1:55 | | Zeb Jackson shooting foul (Ace Baldwin Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 1:55 | | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 37-41 |
| 1:31 | | RayQuawndis Mitchell shooting foul (Max Shulga draws the foul) | ||
| 1:31 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 37-42 |
| 1:31 | | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 37-43 |
| 1:10 | | Nittany Lions 30 second timeout | ||
| 1:06 | | Puff Johnson misses two point jump shot | ||
| 1:04 | | Nick Kern Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 0:56 | | Nick Kern Jr. misses two point layup | ||
| 0:56 | | Max Shulga defensive rebound | ||
| 0:56 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. shooting foul (Alphonzo Billups III draws the foul) | ||
| 0:56 | | +1 | Alphonzo Billups III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 37-44 |
| 0:56 | | +1 | Alphonzo Billups III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 37-45 |
| 0:42 | | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:40 | | Michael Belle defensive rebound | ||
| 0:33 | | RayQuawndis Mitchell personal foul (Michael Belle draws the foul) | ||
| 0:33 | | +1 | Michael Belle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 37-46 |
| 0:33 | | Michael Belle misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 0:33 | | Nick Kern Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 0:07 | | Alphonzo Billups III shooting foul (Zach Hicks draws the foul) | ||
| 0:07 | | +1 | Zach Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 38-46 |
| 0:07 | | Zach Hicks misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 0:07 | | Puff Johnson offensive rebound | ||
| 0:07 | | +2 | Puff Johnson makes two point layup | 40-46 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |