DePaul University Athletics
Balanced Effort Leads DePaul Past Lewis
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Jerry Wainwright Post Game Audio
CHICAGO – DePaul had four players in double figures led by junior Karron Clarke’s 18 points and the Blue Demons beat Lewis 77-70 on Saturday in the exhibition finale at McGrath Arena.
Along with Clarke’s 18, DePaul got 16 points (including a 10-12 performance from the free throw line) by senior Sammy Mejia who also had a team-high six assists. Junior Wesley Green (nine rebounds) and Draelon Burns each chipped in with 11. Sophomore Wilson Chandler grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Blue Demons.
The Flyers were led by Brandon Dagans’ game-high 22 points while Jason Genova and Brandon Alexander each had 14.
DePaul forged a seven-point halftime lead at 41-34 behind 12 first half points from Clarke and nine from Green. The lead grew to as much as 11 before Lewis clawed back into the contest in the middle part of the second stanza. The Flyers went on a 12-1 run over a seven-minute span and cut the deficit to 47-46 with 11:35 remaing.
After two free throws by Mejia and Alexander answering with a jumper to keep the Blue Demon lead at one, the Flyers were able to get within one once more as Mejia stuck a short jumper and then Stephen Bolt answered with a lay-up to cut the DePaul lead to 51-50 with 9:28 to play but that is as close as Lewis would get.
DePaul made its last 14 free throws in the final 2:49 of the contest to ice the victory and end the exhibition season with a perfect 2-0 record. DePaul has now won 20 consecutive exhibition games dating back to the start of the 1996-97 season.
The regular season for DePaul opens on Saturday when the Blue Demons travel to Peoria, Ill. to face Bradley at 7 p.m. (CST). The contest will be televised in Peoria by WEEK-TV while the radio call can be heard on WSCR (670 AM) in the Windy City.