Saturday, November 28
Wintrust Arena
4:00 P.M. CT
DePaul University
0-1,0-0Big East
93
vs
91
Texas A&M
2-0,0-0SEC
1
2
3
4
F
Texas A&M
22
27
21
23
93
DePaul
21
20
21
29
91
No. 19/19 DePaul's Late Rally Comes Up Just Short
11/28/2020 8:09:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Blue Demons go toe-to-toe with No. 13/14 Texas A&M in 93-91 setback Saturday
CHICAGO – The first chapter of a truly unique basketball season is in the books, and No. 19/19 DePaul went toe-to-toe with No. 13/14 Texas A&M Saturday at Wintrust Arena before coming up just a little bit short 93-91.
There's no question Blue Demon coach Doug Bruno and his players felt they had acquitted themselves well against one of the top teams in the nation.
Dee Bekelja, whom Bruno said was poised for a breakout senior year, led four DePaul players in double figures with a career-high 24 points, shooting a blazing 10-of-15 from the field including 4-of-7 from three-point range.
Deja Church also had a career day with her 23 points being the most this senior has ever scored in a game. The 5-foot, 11-inch guard also added four rebounds and four steals.
Sonya Morris had 22 points, five rebounds and three steals despite missing nearly seven minutes of the fourth quarter after fouling out. Lexi Held added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists.
DePaul (0-1) would have needed to overcome an eight-point deficit opening the fourth quarter if it wanted to pull out the season-opener. It would have to be done with Morris navigating her way around four personal fouls.
And the Blue Demons would need Held to put on one of her patented fourth-quarter outbursts.
Held's quick basket followed by a Church three-point play narrowed it to 70-67. The visiting team lengthened the lead to 77-69 after Morris exited the game with her fifth foul at the 6:55 mark. But Church, Held and Darrione Rogers combined to make it 77-74 at the media timeout.
A Rogers foul shot after a pair of Aggie free throws left the scoreboard reading 79-75 with 4:28 left in the game. This one appeared headed for a high-wire finish.
Bekelja's huge corner three tied it at 80-80 with 3:06 left, only to watch the Aggies match that on their next trip downcourt. After an A&M score, Church knocked down a pair of free throws.
The Aggies dropped two of their own and it was 87-82 with 1:40 to go. Church executed a nifty steal and layup with 1:29 left to make it 87-84. The Texas team maintained a three-point margin until Aaliyah Wilson missed three free throws with 20.6 seconds on the clock.
Jumping through that opening with both feet, Held knocked down a pair of clutch free throws with 6.4 left and it was a one-point game. The Aggies converted two foul shots with 4.9 to go and are now 2-0 on the season.
The Blue Demons trimmed an eight-point halftime deficit to 53-50 early in the third quarter after another Morris basket. Bekelja had opened the period with a jumper and a three-point shot.
A seven-point Texas A&M run had coach Doug Bruno's program facing a 60-50 deficit. Church's score just before the media timeout made it 60-52.
Morris was whistled for her fourth foul early in the third quarter and had to come out. That was a tough blow for the Blue Demon attack.
With his team trailing by 12, Bruno gambled and brought Morris back into the game with just over four minutes to go in the quarter. Morris had 14 points at that juncture, second on the team to Bekelja's 17.
Bruno's move looked prescient when Morris drained a pair of threes in shrinking the A&M advantage to 68-62. It was 70-62 after three quarters.
Texas A&M scored the first six points of the game, but Dee Bekelja snapped that burst with a three-pointer for the first basket of 2020-21.
After a Church three even the score at 8-8, A&M ran off five-straight for a 13-8 advantage at the first quarter media timeout.
The Aggies built an eight-point lead only to watch the home team rattle off a 9-2 run and come within 18-17 on another Bekelja three-pointer.
A Morris score left the Blue Demons with a 22-21 deficit after one quarter.
Morris and Church fueled a strong start to the second quarter with each burying one from behind the arc. A Kayla Caudle layup, Held three-point play and Church's basket gave DePaul a 34-30 lead and forced A&M coach Gary Blair to call timeout.
An 11-0 Aggies run left DePaul down by seven with 3:48 left in the second quarter. Held's three-point play brought an end to the visiting team's scoring outburst. Bekelja's bucket cut the deficit to 41-39.
In this back-and-forth battle of runs, A&M's 8-2 stretch to close out the second quarter left DePaul trailing 49-41 after the first 20 minutes.
Morris and Bekelja had a dozen points each at the break and Church had nine points and three steals.
DePaul will look to even its record on Monday with a 2 p.m. matinee performance against Chicago State at Wintrust Arena.
Postgame Notes
There's no question Blue Demon coach Doug Bruno and his players felt they had acquitted themselves well against one of the top teams in the nation.
Dee Bekelja, whom Bruno said was poised for a breakout senior year, led four DePaul players in double figures with a career-high 24 points, shooting a blazing 10-of-15 from the field including 4-of-7 from three-point range.
Deja Church also had a career day with her 23 points being the most this senior has ever scored in a game. The 5-foot, 11-inch guard also added four rebounds and four steals.
Sonya Morris had 22 points, five rebounds and three steals despite missing nearly seven minutes of the fourth quarter after fouling out. Lexi Held added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists.
DePaul (0-1) would have needed to overcome an eight-point deficit opening the fourth quarter if it wanted to pull out the season-opener. It would have to be done with Morris navigating her way around four personal fouls.
And the Blue Demons would need Held to put on one of her patented fourth-quarter outbursts.
Held's quick basket followed by a Church three-point play narrowed it to 70-67. The visiting team lengthened the lead to 77-69 after Morris exited the game with her fifth foul at the 6:55 mark. But Church, Held and Darrione Rogers combined to make it 77-74 at the media timeout.
A Rogers foul shot after a pair of Aggie free throws left the scoreboard reading 79-75 with 4:28 left in the game. This one appeared headed for a high-wire finish.
Bekelja's huge corner three tied it at 80-80 with 3:06 left, only to watch the Aggies match that on their next trip downcourt. After an A&M score, Church knocked down a pair of free throws.
The Aggies dropped two of their own and it was 87-82 with 1:40 to go. Church executed a nifty steal and layup with 1:29 left to make it 87-84. The Texas team maintained a three-point margin until Aaliyah Wilson missed three free throws with 20.6 seconds on the clock.
Jumping through that opening with both feet, Held knocked down a pair of clutch free throws with 6.4 left and it was a one-point game. The Aggies converted two foul shots with 4.9 to go and are now 2-0 on the season.
The Blue Demons trimmed an eight-point halftime deficit to 53-50 early in the third quarter after another Morris basket. Bekelja had opened the period with a jumper and a three-point shot.
A seven-point Texas A&M run had coach Doug Bruno's program facing a 60-50 deficit. Church's score just before the media timeout made it 60-52.
Morris was whistled for her fourth foul early in the third quarter and had to come out. That was a tough blow for the Blue Demon attack.
With his team trailing by 12, Bruno gambled and brought Morris back into the game with just over four minutes to go in the quarter. Morris had 14 points at that juncture, second on the team to Bekelja's 17.
Bruno's move looked prescient when Morris drained a pair of threes in shrinking the A&M advantage to 68-62. It was 70-62 after three quarters.
Texas A&M scored the first six points of the game, but Dee Bekelja snapped that burst with a three-pointer for the first basket of 2020-21.
After a Church three even the score at 8-8, A&M ran off five-straight for a 13-8 advantage at the first quarter media timeout.
The Aggies built an eight-point lead only to watch the home team rattle off a 9-2 run and come within 18-17 on another Bekelja three-pointer.
A Morris score left the Blue Demons with a 22-21 deficit after one quarter.
Morris and Church fueled a strong start to the second quarter with each burying one from behind the arc. A Kayla Caudle layup, Held three-point play and Church's basket gave DePaul a 34-30 lead and forced A&M coach Gary Blair to call timeout.
An 11-0 Aggies run left DePaul down by seven with 3:48 left in the second quarter. Held's three-point play brought an end to the visiting team's scoring outburst. Bekelja's bucket cut the deficit to 41-39.
In this back-and-forth battle of runs, A&M's 8-2 stretch to close out the second quarter left DePaul trailing 49-41 after the first 20 minutes.
Morris and Bekelja had a dozen points each at the break and Church had nine points and three steals.
DePaul will look to even its record on Monday with a 2 p.m. matinee performance against Chicago State at Wintrust Arena.
Postgame Notes
- DePaul is 7-3 in its last 10 season openers. The Blue Demons launched the 2014-15 season with a 76-68 setback at home against Texas A&M.
- Dee Bekelja finished with a career-high 24 points.
- Deja Church also notched a career best with 23 points.
- Freshman guard Darrione Rogers led the Blue Demons with six rebounds while adding four assists and three steals.
- Rogers played 27 minutes and 43 seconds in her collegiate debut.
- Church only sat for 1:37 of Saturday's game.
- After averaging 85 points a game last season, Bruno's team began the new season with 91.
- What helped to keep DePaul close were the 27 turnovers it forced on Texas A&M. The Blue Demons committed 11. Last season, DePaul was No. 9 in the nation in turnovers forced via its full-court pressure.
Team Stats
TA&M
DePaul
FG%
.611
.440
3FG%
1.000
.273
FT%
.632
.640
RB
44
27
TO
27
11
STL
6
14
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
10
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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