Friday, November 26
St. Thomas, USVI
2:15 P.M. CT
DePaul University
4-2,0-0Big East
68
vs
75
No. 9/12 Arizona
5-0,0-0Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Arizona
19
17
15
24
75
DePaul
17
17
17
17
68
Morrow Rises Up Against No. 9/12 Arizona in 75-68 Setback
11/26/2021 5:57:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Freshman prodigy finishes with 24 points, 16 rebounds, five steals and three blocks
ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands – The final score on Friday in no way reflects how well DePaul played against one of the nation's best at the Paradise Jam.
Only a lull late in the fourth quarter prevented an eye-opening result as the Blue Demons came up short 75-68 to No. 9/12 Arizona.
Freshman Aneesah Morrow had another terrific performance finishing with 24 points, 16 rebounds, five steals and three blocks.
Deja Church added 13 points, Sonya Morris 10 and Lexi Held scored nine.
DePaul (4-2) actually played its best overall game of the early season, taking the Wildcats into the middle of the fourth quarter. That's when a 10-3 Arizona surge made it 72-61 with 1:03 left.
This is one of those special early-season games that could impact coach Doug Bruno and his team come March.
If they battle their way into the NCAA postseason, there won't be many tougher opponents along the tournament trail. They will harken back to the day after Thanksgiving and realize they can compete with the NCAA elite.
Deadlocked at 51 heading into the final 10 minutes, Arizona (6-0) struck the opening blow of the fourth quarter with a 5-2 spurt and 56-53 lead. Held's foul shot and another Morrow basket down low tied it 56-56 at the media timeout.
A rough sequence for the team from Chicago led to a 6-0 Wildcat run as Bruno called timeout with 6:43 left in the game.
Time to regroup and counterattack.
DePaul cut the deficit to four when the Wildcats shot back out to a 69-60 lead with 2:04 to go. DePaul was down 11 in the final minute when Held buried a three.
This third quarter was critical for DePaul. In past games against the NCAA elite, the Blue Demons would fall behind and struggle to get even---sometimes falling further behind.
After clawing back to trail just 36-34 at halftime and nearly erasing Arizona's 10-point lead in the second quarter, Bruno's team needed to maintain its momentum.
Arizona scored the first two baskets of the third quarter and was looking to create some space.
No such luck. Held hit a jumper followed by Darrione Rogers' followed big-time three, and before the Wildcats knew it, their lead had shrunk to 40-39 at the media timeout.
The Blue Demons were doing a great job negating the huge height disadvantage with scrappy play down low and harassing the Arizona bigs.
It was close the rest of the quarter as Morrow, Church and Rogers took turns hitting clutch shots. The Blue Demons led by three a couple of times only to see Arizona battle back. Rogers' basket tied it 51-51 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Blue Demons came out at the opening tip looking more like the Top 25 team as Morrow hit four of her first five shots in sparking an 8-0 run for a 15-8 lead. Two Morris jumpers and a Church basket figured prominently in their 17-13 lead at the first quarter media timeout.
Rising to its pedigree, Arizona scored the final six points of the first quarter to move in front 19-17. Morrow had nine points, four rebounds and a blocked shot in eight minutes of playing time.
The only drawback of a quality opening 10 minutes was the invaluable Held picking up her second foul meaning she would likely sit in the second quarter.
The Wildcats went on a 7-0 burst midway through the quarter for a 28-20 lead. Held re-entered the game and quickly turned a wicked crossover dribble into a driving layup just after the media timeout.
Two quick Wildcat strikes prompted a timeout from Bruno with his team trailing 32-22. Morrow retaliated with six points and Church scored in DePaul's 8-2 run that put them right back into the thick of it at 34-30.
Church and Kierra Collier closed out the first half with back-to-back scores and just like that, the Blue Demons were within 36-34 at halftime.
Morrow had a terrific first 20 minutes with 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Church backed up the freshman with eight points at the break.
DePaul plays Vanderbilt at 2 p.m. Saturday on ESPN3/ESPN+ in its final game of the Paradise Jam.
Postgame Notes
Only a lull late in the fourth quarter prevented an eye-opening result as the Blue Demons came up short 75-68 to No. 9/12 Arizona.
Freshman Aneesah Morrow had another terrific performance finishing with 24 points, 16 rebounds, five steals and three blocks.
Deja Church added 13 points, Sonya Morris 10 and Lexi Held scored nine.
DePaul (4-2) actually played its best overall game of the early season, taking the Wildcats into the middle of the fourth quarter. That's when a 10-3 Arizona surge made it 72-61 with 1:03 left.
This is one of those special early-season games that could impact coach Doug Bruno and his team come March.
If they battle their way into the NCAA postseason, there won't be many tougher opponents along the tournament trail. They will harken back to the day after Thanksgiving and realize they can compete with the NCAA elite.
Deadlocked at 51 heading into the final 10 minutes, Arizona (6-0) struck the opening blow of the fourth quarter with a 5-2 spurt and 56-53 lead. Held's foul shot and another Morrow basket down low tied it 56-56 at the media timeout.
A rough sequence for the team from Chicago led to a 6-0 Wildcat run as Bruno called timeout with 6:43 left in the game.
Time to regroup and counterattack.
DePaul cut the deficit to four when the Wildcats shot back out to a 69-60 lead with 2:04 to go. DePaul was down 11 in the final minute when Held buried a three.
This third quarter was critical for DePaul. In past games against the NCAA elite, the Blue Demons would fall behind and struggle to get even---sometimes falling further behind.
After clawing back to trail just 36-34 at halftime and nearly erasing Arizona's 10-point lead in the second quarter, Bruno's team needed to maintain its momentum.
Arizona scored the first two baskets of the third quarter and was looking to create some space.
No such luck. Held hit a jumper followed by Darrione Rogers' followed big-time three, and before the Wildcats knew it, their lead had shrunk to 40-39 at the media timeout.
The Blue Demons were doing a great job negating the huge height disadvantage with scrappy play down low and harassing the Arizona bigs.
It was close the rest of the quarter as Morrow, Church and Rogers took turns hitting clutch shots. The Blue Demons led by three a couple of times only to see Arizona battle back. Rogers' basket tied it 51-51 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Blue Demons came out at the opening tip looking more like the Top 25 team as Morrow hit four of her first five shots in sparking an 8-0 run for a 15-8 lead. Two Morris jumpers and a Church basket figured prominently in their 17-13 lead at the first quarter media timeout.
Rising to its pedigree, Arizona scored the final six points of the first quarter to move in front 19-17. Morrow had nine points, four rebounds and a blocked shot in eight minutes of playing time.
The only drawback of a quality opening 10 minutes was the invaluable Held picking up her second foul meaning she would likely sit in the second quarter.
The Wildcats went on a 7-0 burst midway through the quarter for a 28-20 lead. Held re-entered the game and quickly turned a wicked crossover dribble into a driving layup just after the media timeout.
Two quick Wildcat strikes prompted a timeout from Bruno with his team trailing 32-22. Morrow retaliated with six points and Church scored in DePaul's 8-2 run that put them right back into the thick of it at 34-30.
Church and Kierra Collier closed out the first half with back-to-back scores and just like that, the Blue Demons were within 36-34 at halftime.
Morrow had a terrific first 20 minutes with 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Church backed up the freshman with eight points at the break.
DePaul plays Vanderbilt at 2 p.m. Saturday on ESPN3/ESPN+ in its final game of the Paradise Jam.
Postgame Notes
- Morrow recorded the second double-double of her young career with 24 points and 16 rebounds.
- The freshman prodigy is averaging a double-double of 16.8 points and 10.3 rebounds
- The scrappy Blue Demons stayed right with Arizona right to the last two minutes despite shooting just 6-of-23 from three-point range.
- After the first six games, DePaul (499 points) is averaging 83.1 points a game
- Despite a significant height disadvantage, DePaul outrebounded Arizona 42-39---thanks to Morrow's 16 rebounds.
- Both of the Blue Demon losses this season have come to Top 25 teams---Texas A&M and Arizona.
- Held was the BIG EAST's active career scoring leader in conference games with 697 points going into the Paradise Jam.
- Morrow has scored in double figures five of the first six games of her collegiate career.
- Church has finished in double figures every game this season.
- DePaul's pressure defense forced Arizona into 16 turnovers.
- Arizona outscored DePaul 24-17 in the game-deciding fourth quarter.
Team Stats
UA
DePaul
FG%
.556
.338
3FG%
.333
.261
FT%
.500
.583
RB
39
42
TO
17
14
STL
11
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
9
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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G
/ WOMEN'S BASKETBALLG
/ WOMEN'S BASKETBALLF
/ WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
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