National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
DePaul 71, Xavier 68
When: 2:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 3, 2015
Where: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois
Officials: # James Breeding, # Nathan Farrell, # Lamar Simpson
Attendance: 6827

DePaul 71, Xavier 68: Billy Garrett Jr. had 15 points, 10 assists and two key free throws in the closing seconds as the host Blue Demons topped the Musketeers in Big East play.

Forrest Robinson scored a career-high 17 points for DePaul (8-7, 2-0 Big East), which is 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2007-08. Jamee Crockett added 10 points and a couple clutch 3-pointers as the Blue Demons survived despite being outrebounded 32-22 by shooting 52.2 percent.

Freshman Trevon Bluiett scored all 19 of his points in the second half and added 12 rebounds for Xavier (10-4, 1-1 Big East), which had its three-game win streak in the series snapped. Myles Davis scored 14 points and Dee Davis added nine points and seven assists as the Musketeers were held to 42 percent shooting after entering the game shooting 50.3 percent.

Aaron Simpson drained two free throws after being fouled 70 feet from the basket with 41 seconds left to snap a 66-66 tie and Garrett drained two more free throws with 11 ticks left for a four-point lead, and Xavier held on when Dee Davis' running 40-footer at the buzzer grazed off the rim. Bluiett scored 13 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes, including a tying 3-pointer with 42 seconds left that tied the game at 66.

Remy Abell scored five early points as the Musketeers pulled out 18-9, but 3-pointers by Myke Henry, Garrett and Robinson in a two-minute stretch provided DePaul a four-point edge before Xavier's J.P. Macura capped a 6-0 run ending the first half with a shot from the arc as the Musketeers took a 28-26 lead at the half. Two 3-pointers by Crockett and another by Garrett capped a 13-6 run that provided DePaul a 58-51 lead with 5:25 left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: DePaul was 0-for-2 from the charity stripe in the first half and didn't make a free throw until 6:16 into the second half. … DePaul leads the series 9-5. ... Robinson combined for five points in his previous two games.
Top Game Performances
 
Xavier   DePaul
Trevon Bluiett 19 Scoring Forrest Robinson 17
Dee Davis 7 Assists Billy Garrett Jr. 10
Trevon Bluiett 12 Rebounds Billy Garrett Jr. 5
Myles Davis 9 Free Throws Made Aaron Simpson 6
Remy Abell 1 Steals Jamee Crockett 2
Jalen Reynolds 2 Blocks Tommy Hamilton IV 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Xavier 68 42.0 8-23 18-22 13 31 2 6 15
DePaul 71 52.2 10-20 13-17 15 20 4 5 13