Xavier Storms Back Takes Out Game DePaul

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

When the DePaul Blue Demons took the floor against the Xavier Musketeers Thursday night, they were hoping to create more magic after their stirring and stunning 66-65 victory over Seton Hall in their opening game Wednesday night. It was Xavier’s first game as the #2 seed was granted a first-round bye. 

 

Unlike their game Wednesday night, in which the Blue Demons got off to a slow shooting start, DePaul converted their first 10 of 12 shots to take an early 23-14 lead with 11:20 left in the first half. DePaul kept up the offensive barrage extending the lead to 12-points (34-22) with 7:40 remaining.  Xavier would cut the lead to 6 (46-40) but a late Blue Demons basket sent them into the locker room leading 49-40.

 

Xavier’s Jack Nunge led all scorers with 14 points as the team shot 58%, 5-12 from 3-point land. DePaul’s Umoja led his team with 13 points as the team shot a blistering 69% connecting on 7-11 3-pointers which kept the Musketeers at bay.

 

DePaul picked up where they left off outscoring Xavier 12-11 as they went up 61-51 when a time out was called with 13:46 left in the final quarter. Every time the Musketeers scored, the Blue Demons had an answer for them but things started to turn for Xavier when guard Desmond Claude converted a lay-up and was fouled on the play. The made free throw and subsequent Nunge jumper cut the lead to 61-55.

 

Xavier, on the strength of a Nunge 3-pointer, cut the lead to 3 (67-64) with 10:13 left. Not deterred, DePaul outscored the X-men 6-1 increasing their lead to 72-65. Things got really interesting when the Musketeers guard Colby Jones nails a 3, getting them within 2 at 73-71. But like that annoying bug at the family picnic, Blue Demons guard Umoja Gibson nails a 3 of his own as they go up by 5, 76-71.

 

Xavier then showed why they were ranked #2 coming into the tournament. Jones would score 8 points in the final 3:39 Nunge added a basket and 2-free throws as Xavier stormed back coming away with the 89-84 victory. Nunge finished with a game high 23 while Jones chipped in 22, none bigger than his final 8 points. Umoja paced DePaul with 22.

 

A relieved Xavier head coach Sean Miller said, “we’re thrilled to still be alive. I thought that DePaul played a great game. Could have easily lost that game three, five, ten times over.”

 

It was a valiant effort by the Blue Demons who went more than 2-minutes down the stretch without scoring. They do not have to hang their heads. Xavier was just the better team when it counted.