Free-throw shooting costly for DePaul
During the defining stretch of Wednesday's Big East game, DePaul become no more than the third-best team on display at the Allstate Arena.
That was West Virginia, led by returning anti-hero Bob Huggins. He strode the sideline resplendently, ignoring barbs from the DePaul student section, in a navy blue (WV) golf wind shirt.
Then, on the scoring table's scrolling advertising board, there were the fictional Flint Tropics. You know, from the movie "Semi-Pro" featuring Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson?
Only then came the Blue Demons, who allowed West Virginia to reel off 22 consecutive points during a seven-minute stretch in the first half.
Despite senior guard Draelon Burns' ridiculous second-half shooting display, DePaul could not erase all of its 24-point deficit and dropped an 85-73 decision before an announced 8,777 in Rosemont.
While West Virginia (20-8, 9-6) took another step toward the NCAA Tournament, DePaul (10-17, 5-10) lost for the eighth time in nine games.
"It seems like every time I face (the media), there's one column that stands out," Demons coach Jerry Wainwright said.
Oddly enough, it wasn't the Mountaineers' 22-0 run. Instead, Wainwright lamented DePaul's ruinous free-throw shooting.
The Demons missed 16 of their first 22 free throws before finishing 14 of 33 from the line.
Freshman center Mac Koshwal wound up 0-for-7 to negate the effect of his game-high 14 rebounds, 8 of them on the offensive end.
"That's as bad a free-throw shooting total (as I've seen), especially with the number we took," Wainwright said. "I'd probably have to go back to high school, to tell you the truth, when I was a coach when kids were just learning how to shoot.
"It was really bad. It obviously knocked us out of the game. We had no chance."
Especially after DePaul's dry spell from the 14:55 mark of the first half to the 7:54 mark.
There was an extra-special subset there where the Demons took just one (ill-advised) shot because they were too busy committing turnovers.
Matija Poscic, Koshwal and Dar Tucker picked up offensive fouls on back-to-back-to-back possessions.
Incensed by a few of those calls, as well as some non-calls during the physical affair, Wainwright joined the fray by getting a technical foul just as the Mountaineers' Darris Nichols made a layup.
When guard Alex Ruoff hit the free throws, DePaul trailed 32-9 with 8:31 left in the first half.
The Demons cut the deficit to 44-29 by halftime, then Burns went berserk. Hitting three 3-pointers in the first 3:03 of the second half, he helped DePaul get as close as 5 points.
Burns scored 25 of his game-high 31 points -- 1 shy of his career best -- after intermission. Not bad for a guy whose shooting slump had him coming off the bench for the first time this season.
"If you ask me, I really wasn't playing up to my ability," Burns said. "I wasn't mad or anything. Whatever Coach goes with, I'm here."