NEW YORK (AP) — Tre Johnson scored 17 points to help Texas hold off Saint Joseph’s 67-58 in the championship game of the UKG Legends Classic at the Barclays Center on Friday night.
Johnson made 7 of 18 shots from the floor — 1 of 5 from beyond the 3-point line — and both his free throws for the Longhorns (5-1).
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Arthur Kaluma finished with 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots for Texas. Julian Larry came off the bench to hit both of his 3-pointers and score 12. Kadin Shedrick pitched in with 10 points and six rebounds.
Rasheer Fleming led the Hawks (4-2) with 16 points and a career-high 20 rebounds. Xzayvier Brown added 15 points.
Johnson and Kaluma both scored nine points to help the Longhorns take a slim 32-30 lead into halftime.
Saint Joseph’s grabbed its first lead in the second half at 39-38 on a 3-pointer from Brown with 12:50 left to play.
The Hawks took leads on their next three possessions and each time Texas answered.
Fleming dunked off a rebound to put Saint Joseph’s up 52-51 with 5:29 to go. But Shedrick had back-to-back dunks off of offensive rebounds and Johnson followed with two free throws and a layup in an 8-0 run, and the Longhorns stayed in front over the final 2:26.
Texas won a regular-season tournament for the first time since winning the Maui Invitational in 2020. The event was held in Asheville, N.C., that year because of COVID-19.
The Longhorns return home to play Delaware State on Friday.
Saint Joseph’s will host Coppin State on Tuesday.