DePaul Nips Northwestern
11/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) -- Draelon Burns hit a short lean-in, go-ahead basket from the lane with 6.4 seconds left, and DePaul's Karron Clarke blocked a last-second shot attempt Saturday as the Blue Demons beat Northwestern 54-53.
Northwestern's Sterling Williams had a chance to win it, but couldn't convert his driving shot right before the buzzer as Clarke got a piece of the ball.
Northwestern (0-2) took a 53-52 lead with 47.8 seconds left when Jason Okrzesik banked in a 3-pointer.
After a timeout, Burns missed a shot, but DePaul retained possession when the ball went off Northwestern during a scramble for the rebound with 16 seconds left.
Given another chance, Burns converted.
Freshman Michael Thompson led Northwestern with 24 points before fouling out with 3:19 to go.
Earlier in the half, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound Thompson picked up a techcnical foul after he was fouled hard by DePaul's 6-foot-9, 300-pound Wesley Green. Officials ruled an intentional foul on Green on the play, and the teams exchanged two free throws.
One possession later, Thompson hit his fifth 3-pointer of the game to tie the game at 45.
Will Walker, who led DePaul (1-1) with 13 points, hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 50-50 and then made a driving shot to give the Blue Demons a 52-50 lead with 1:14 to go.
DePaul owned a big 46-26 rebound advantage to win, despite shooting just 35 percent. The Blue Demons also had an 18-2 margin in offensive boards.
DePaul had a 23-15 lead after Jabari Currie hit a jumper to give him 10 first-half points.
But Thompson, who finished the half with 13 points, and Craig Moore then got the Wildcats rolling on a 12-3 run to close the half.
Moore hit three free throws after being fouled behind the line and then sank a 3-pointer from the corner before Thompson made back-to-back 3-pointers as Northwestern took a 27-26 halftime lead.
Game Notes: DePaul’s coaching staff wore pink lapel ribbons to show their support for the mother of Northwestern’s Kevin Coble as she fights breast cancer... the Blue Demons scored first as Jabari Currie made a three pointer at 19:30 in the first half... DePaul has opened both of its games this season with a three pointer... Will Walker led DePaul as he tied his career-high of 13 points. His previous career-high came on November 9 at Creighton... Walker was given the Waldo Fisher-Frank McGrath Award as the game’s MVP. He finished the game with 13 points, four rebounds and two steals... Draelon Burns scored DePaul’s go-ahead basket with four seconds remaining in the game... the Blue Demons opened the game on an 8-0 scoring run over the first four minutes... DePaul is now 78-7 all-time in home openers. The Blue Demons have won 19 of the last 20 and 67 of the last 69.