DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Mississippi
Blue Demons Come Up Short Against Ole Miss
12/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 1, 2011
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ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Allstate Arena crowd was revving up to a fever pitch in the midst of DePaul's valiant second-half comeback Thursday night.
All that was needed was some free throws to finish it off.
Unfortunately, the Blue Demons could not capitalize on the 15-foot opportunities in dropping a 70-68 decision to Mississippi in the BIG EAST-SEC Challenge.
Jamee Crockett's three-pointer with 1 minute, 8 seconds left had pulled DePaul to within 66-65 after the home team had trailed by 17 at the 13:57 mark.
After an Ole Miss turnover, Brandon Young hit a huge shot for a 67-66 lead. Moses Morgan drew a charge which led to a Young one-and-bonus foul shot on the ensuing possession.
"We had to make our free throws," said Young who led DePaul (4-2) with 18 points, three steals and three assists. "I thought that even if I make them, we still have to go back down and play defense."
Cleveland Melvin made the first of two enormous offensive rebounds, imposing his will on a Rebels team that came into Allstate Arena as the No. 1 rebounding team in the nation.
That first one resulted in a free throw that put DePaul up 68-66 with 24.7 seconds left. Jarvis Summers tied it up with :16.2 showing on the clock.
Four seconds later, Jeremiah Kelly had a chance to put the Blue Demons ahead and missed a pair of free throws.
Melvin (14 points, 10 rebounds) came to the rescue again with another clutch offensive board, only to have it stripped away.
Murphy Holloway (16 points, 12 rebounds, four steals) scooped up the ball and drove upcourt for the winning layup.
"It's disappointing because we had the game and everything," Young said. "We waited until the second half to start playing.
"If we had played that way in the first half, the game doesn't come down to free throws."
The Blue Demons were victimized by a 19-5 Mississippi run that left the home team trailing 40-26 late in the first half.
In that span, DePaul went scoreless for 3 minutes and 37 seconds. That contributed to Mississippi's 42-28 lead at halftime.
The Blue Demons shot just 24 percent in the first 20 minutes and committed 10 turnovers. Ole Miss meanwhile scored 30 points in the paint in the first half and came up with 17 points on turnovers.
Mississippi (6-1) wound up outscoring DePaul 46-26 in the paint.
"Our guys did a great job of battling back in the second half," said DePaul coach Oliver Purnell. "We got to the line and had a chance to salt the game away, but we didn't convert.
"They were the more physical team in the first half, and their physicality caused us to lose our poise and took away a little bit of our aggressiveness.
"We took the fight to them in the second half and Cleveland Melvin did a really good job on the boards."
Mississippi came into the BIG EAST-SEC Challenge showdown as the No. 1 rebounding team in the country. On this night, DePaul outrebounded Ole Miss 39-38.
"We did well on the boards and came out tough," Melvin said. "We've just got to keep it up. Coach Purnell always tells me I've got to get on the boards."
A driving layup by Worrell Clahar, a Jamee Crockett three-pointer and a dipsy-do scoop shot by Young brought DePaul within 54-52 with 7:45 left in the game.
It capped off a 19-4 Blue Demon run, virtually erasing an earlier 17-point deficit. But Dundrecous Nelson responded with four points in a row as Ole Miss moved in front 58-52.
Melvin and Kelly three-pointers sandwiched around two Nick Williams free throws made it 60-58 Ole Miss. A Williams basket following a Reginald Buckner free throw put the Rebels up by five.
Young scored on a hesitation dribble move down the lane with 3:04 on the clock.
After falling behind 50-33 with 13:57 left in the second half, Worrell Clahar sparked a 9-2 DePaul spurt that brought the Blue Demons within 52-42 with 11:19 to go.
Moses Morgan followed with a three-pointer that cut the deficit to 52-45.
"The season is young, but It's important for our players to understand they've got to grow up," Purnell said. "They've got to grow up now."
DePaul returns to action Monday night with an 8 p.m. game against Milwaukee at Allstate Arena.
