DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Illinois State
DePaul Falls to Illinois State Despite Career Day From Crockett
12/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
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ROSEMONT, Ill. - DePaul senior guard Jamee Crockett poured in a career-high 22 points but it was not enough as the Blue Demons fell to Illinois State, 78-72. Crockett notched his personal best scoring output going 8-of-12 from the field while adding five rebounds and two steals.
Tommy Hamilton IV, Myke Henry and Billy Garrett Jr. joined Crockett in double figures marking the seventh time that four or more Blue Demons have reached double digits in game this season. Hamilton chipped in 13 points and 10 boards while Henry and Garrett added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
It was a battle of runs in the first frame as DePaul opened the game on a 10-5 streak highlighted by a pair of Crockett buckets from downtown.
Henry buried a jumper with 11:58 on the clock to give DePaul a five-point cushion at 14-9. The Blue Demons were then held without a field goal for the next five minutes during a Redbird 6-0 run.
A bucket from Hamilton iced Illinois State's streak and gave DePaul a one-point lead, 16-15, with just under seven minutes left in the first.
Both teams traded baskets throughout the rest of the half before a pair of Garrett free throws gave DePaul a 30-29 lead with 15 seconds remaining.
The Redbirds responded with a four-point play from Justin McCloud to take a 33-30 lead at the half. Crockett led all players with 10 points heading into intermission.
Coming out of the break, Illinois State used a 5-0 spurt to take its largest lead of the game at 37-32. Following a timeout, the DePaul took 10 of the next 12 points to catapult the Blue Demons to a 40-39 lead that they maintained for the next 19 minutes.
DePaul lengthened its lead to as many as nine after a Garrett layup with 8:16 left in the game. The Redbirds clawed their way back into the game and eventually took the lead on another four-point play - this time from Paris Lee - to lead 70-69.
Illinois State forced cranked up the pressure in the final minute and capped a 30-second, 8-0 run on a three-point play from Daishon Knight to take a 73-69 lead with just 40 seconds left. In that run, the Redbirds forced five straight DePaul turnovers to regain the lead.
Illinois State hit five of its final six free throws to ice the game and take the victory, 78-72. The Redbirds were led by Knight who scored a game-high 25 points. Reggie Lynch added a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
DePaul hits the road for the next four games as it travels to Oregon State for a 9 p.m. (CT) tip on Thursday night before participating in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dec. 22-25.
Postgame Notes: This was the 26th meeting between the programs all-time... DePaul holds a 21-5 advantage despite losing the last three... the Blue Demons are 121-46 against opponents from the Missouri Valley Conference all-time... Jamee Crockett's first three extended DePaul's streak of at least one three-pointer made to 653 games... Crockett reached the 20-point plateau for the third time in his career... his 22 points set a new career high... previous was 21 points against Seton Hall on March 3, 2012... Tommy Hamilton IV posted his third career double-double.
