More home groans
A last-second free throw spoils rally as Demons drop to 0-2 in Big East
DePaul had an impressive 12-1 nonconference record, earning national recognition with votes in the Associated Press poll and opening some eyes around the city. But the Blue Demons understand that without a strong Big East showing, all of the early love will mean little.
Despite a gutsy performance down the stretch, DePaul lost to Providence 66-65 on a Nate Watson free throw with 1.1 seconds left Saturday at Wintrust Arena, falling to 0-2 in conference play.
“Man,” forward Paul Reed said as he walked off the court, swinging his arms in front of him in exasperation. Coach Dave Leitao silently stared. Point guard Charlie Moore shook his head.
The Blue Demons (12-3) know they let an important game slip away — again — after dropping their Big Big East opener at home Monday to Seton Hall.
“This league is going to be about survival — each game,” Leitao said. “From an overall standpoint, you have to get there whether you lose the first two, the last two, two in middle, three in a row. You have to pick yourself up and understand why.”
Watson, who entered the game shooting 37.9% on free throws, missed his first pressure-packed attempt but made the second.
“I was shaking,” the Friars big man said. His teammates mobbed him after the Demons’ failed final play.
DePaul had rallied from a late 10-point deficit to tie the game at 65 on three Jalen Coleman-Lands free throws with 16 seconds left. But he was called for a foul on the other end, challenging Providence’s attempts for a tiebreaker under the basket and failing to grab a decisive defensive rebound.
“No comment on that,” said ColemanLands, who scored 15 points. “At end of the day, he made the call. What we can do and can control is prevent situations where it’s in the refs’ hands.”
Reed was a force with 24 points on 10-for-15 shooting, 15 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in 39 minutes. It was the 11th double-double of the season for Reed, who has been DePaul’s most consistent and productive player.
“Not much more you can ask out of a guy,” Leitao said. “Unfortunately it’s supposed to equal a win and be celebrated as a tremendous performance in a win. The thing that makes it eyebrow-raising (is) it was quiet. It was not an explosion. It was making plays and getting rebounds.
“We need to find a way to get everyone playing at their best.”
DePaul starting forward Jaylen Butz played only 9 minutes, 41 seconds in the first half before leaving with a sprained leg. He didn’t return and finished with two points. Freshman Nick Ongenda filled in and had three blocks and two rebounds in 16:29.
Providence guard Luwane Pipkins, a
Chicago native and Bogan graduate, finished with 16 points, scoring all but two after halftime. He went to the stands after the game to greet a cheering throng of hometown fans.
The Friars (9-6, 2-0) used a 10-0 run, during which DePaul committed four turnovers, to build a 60-50 second-half lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Moore and Devin Gage pulled the Blue Demons within 65-62 with 1:21 remaining before ColemanLands’ free throws.
The Blue Demons came up with some key defensive plays in the final minute. Reed grabbed a rebound off the front end of a Providence one-and-one miss, and Romeo Weems took a charge from Pipkins with 33.3 seconds left.
The Blue Demons need a sense of urgency, Leitao said. DePaul plays its next two games on the road against St. John’s and No. 10 Villanova before returning to Chicago to face No. 11 Butler.
“Lesson learned,” he said.