Second Half Surge Pushes DePaul Past Bowling Green State
11/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Box Score
ROSEMONT, Ill. – DePaul shook off a slow first half by pulling out an 18-4 run after halftime en route to a 69-59 victory over Bowling Green in the season opener for both teams on Saturday at the Allstate Arena.
DePaul (1-0) was led by Sammy Mejia who scored a career-high 22 points while Marlon Brumfield had his first career double-double with 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Both of Brumfield’s totals were career-best performances as well. Drake Diener also added 14 for the victors.
Bowling Green State was paced by Josh Almanson and Steven Wright who each scored 17 points.
The Falcons controlled most of the first half, holding the Blue Demons to just 36-percent shooting and forcing 10 Blue Demon turnovers. Bowling Green State led by as much as seven early in the game but DePaul was able to chop away at the lead and went into halftime trailing by just two at 25-23 after a three-point field goal by Marcus Heard just before the intermission.
The opening of the second half proved to be the difference in the game as DePaul sprinted out of the locker room with an 18-4 spurt that took the lead to 41-29 after nearly eight minutes of play. Diener keyed the run by dropping in seven points while Mejia and LeVar Seals had four each.
Bowling Green did come back and was able to get the margin back down to two and trailed just 51-49 with 5:18 left but Brumfield converted a conventional three-point play and Diener drilled a three in consecutive possessions and the Blue Demons took home their first win of the season.
“I thought Bowling Green played well in the first half and forced us back on our heels a bit but we came out with much more aggression right after halftime and that was a big key to us getting ahead,” DePaul Head Coach Dave Leitao said. “Sammy and Drake both stepped up and Marlon played his role by getting rebounds and scoring inside.”
DePaul will be in action again on Tuesday when Eastern Illinois comes to the Allstate Arena for a 7:30 p.m. game on Comcast SportsNet and WSCR (670 AM).
Notes: DePaul is now 74-8 all-time in season openers and has won eight of the last nine including six straight… the Blue Demons also improved to 76-6 in all-time home openers and have won 65 of the last 66… Drake Diener became the 10th DePaul player in the last 20 years to start three season-opening games… Diener was 4-4 from the free throw line and is now 126-147 (.857) which moves him into sole possession of the school’s all-time free throw percentage record… Marlon Brumfield had career-highs for points (10), rebounds (15) and minutes played (36)… Sammy Mejia’s 22 points was a career-high…DePaul is now 3-0 in season opening games under head coach Dave Leitao... and improved to 25-7 under him at the Allstate Arena.