Tillman powers VCU to 88-84 OT win over Dayton

Feb 11, 2019, 01:49 am

RICHMOND, Va. -- Justin Tillman ripped the nets for a career-high 37 points, including seven of VCU's nine points in overtime, and the Rams pulled out an 88-84 victory over Dayton on Saturday.

The Flyers had no answer for Tillman. The senior forward connected on 17 of 25 shots and added eight rebounds and two blocked shots for VCU (15-10, 7-5 Atlantic 10 Conference). Tillman scored 13 straight points for the Rams, turning a five-point deficit into a 58-54 lead with 12:23 left to play. VCU led 78-63 on a Marcus Santos-Silva layup with 3:29 remaining, but Jalen Crutcher had 3-pointers to begin and end a 14-0 run and get the Flyers within 78-77 with 11 seconds left. After Jonathan Williams made 1 of 2 free throws, Josh Cunningham had a layup at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

It was all Tillman from there. He hit two straight jumpers to give the Rams an 83-79 lead. Jordan Davis' 3-point play pulled the Flyers within a point. Tillman made 1 of 2 free throws, but Trey Landers knotted the score at 84 on a layup with 43 seconds left. Williams fed Tillman for the go-ahead basket and added two free throws with three seconds to go to seal it.

Crutcher finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for Dayton (11-13, 5-7), while Landers added 16 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.