Bench bolsters Blue Demons

DePaul wouldn't have won this one with a six-man rotation.

All-energy senior Draelon Burns was "blown out," iron man Karron Clarke was "a little bit empty" and peppy point guard Cliff Clinkscales had stopped talking.

Two nights after upsetting Villanova with stamina and willpower, the Blue Demons needed every available fresh set of legs against a plucky Providence squad.

Will Walker was ready. So were Dar Tucker and Jabari Currie.

"I just wait for when coach calls my name off the bench, I'm ready to go," Walker said.

The call came Saturday night, and DePaul's reserves answered in a 70-65 win against Providence before 9,477 at Allstate Arena. Tucker, Walker and Currie all scored in double figures as the Demons held a 40-7 edge in bench points.

DePaul improved to 2-0 in conference play for the first time in program history -- in any league. The Demons (6-7, 2-0 Big East ) have won four straight overall.

"The ability to have a deep team is (that) the guys buy into it," Wainwright said. "When they're going in and coming out, you don't want them to question it."

Walker, who Wainwright tabs as DePaul's sixth man, much like Burns was last year, maximized his minutes for the second straight game.

Two plays Saturday night illustrated his growth.

After Providence had closed within 4 points, DePaul inbounded with 11 seconds on the shot clock. Providence switched to zone defense, which DePaul didn't expect, but Walker never flinched.

He waited for a screen from Mac Koshwal, then calmly drained a 3-pointer to beat the clock with 2:49 left.

"The play was going to work if they went zone or man," Walker said. "The top man was going to get screened regardless."

Added Wainwright: "Mac and Will and Jabari hung with the play. A couple weeks ago, that thing probably would have turned into a circus act."

Providence (9-5, 0-2) once again fought back and had the ball down 68-65 with three seconds left, but Walker stole the inbounds pass, raced downcourt and scored as Weyinmi Efejuku was called for goaltending.

"We didn't come meet the ball," Friars coach Tim Welsh said. "You learn that in middle school camp."

No camp can teach what Tucker does.

The gifted freshman tallied a team-high 15 points and 6 rebounds after being limited to 3 minutes Thursday by a sprained ankle. Following extensive rehab Friday, Tucker's ankle looked fine as he elevated for an electrifying alley-oop slam from Burns (season-high 6 assists) with 11:19 left.

"Nobody was on my side, so I just ran," Tucker said. "It was a good one."

Currie sat out Thursday's game after having chest pains that he said were nerve related. But the junior returned midway through the first half and immediately swished two 3-pointers on an 11-0 Demons run.

He finished with 10 points and 3 assists in 22 minutes.

"I just wanted to come off the bench and bring a lot of energy," Currie said.

Despite a buzz-killing pre-conference performance, the Demons hope their start to league play sends a message.

"That we can play," Tucker said. "This thing ain't over yet."