Williams, Toppin help Texas Tech edge Syracuse 79-74 for third place in Charleston Classic

NEW YORK (AP) — Darrion Williams scored 13 of his 20 points in the second half and Texas Tech kept Syracuse at bay for a 79-74 victory in the third-place game of the Legends Classic on Friday.

JT Toppin scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, Chance McMillian finished with 13 and Elijah Hawkins had 11 points and six assists for the Red Raiders (5-1).

J.J. Starling was 9-of-15 shooting and scored 27 points and Chris Bell 22, making all 11 of his free throws, to lead the Orange (3-2). Donnie Freeman grabbed 13 rebounds to go with five points.

Shooting stats were about even but Syracuse had 12 turnovers to the Raiders' three giving Texas Tech an 18-7 edge on points off errors.

The game was tied when McMillian hit consecutive 3-pointers five minutes into the second half. Texas Tech built on that lead with an 11-3 run with Toppin and Williams combining for nine points as the Red Raiders went up 59-47 with nine minutes remaining.

Bell missed a wide-open 3 from the baseline and Williams then worked inside for a bucket and a seven-point edge with 1:13 to go. From there eight free throws held off the Orange.

Texas Tech led most of the first half with its largest lead of seven coming with five minutes left on a Christian Anderson 3-pointer. Starling brought the Orange back, scoring seven points in the final four minutes, including a 3 in the final minute to go into the break tied at 31-all.

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The Associated Press