LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- DePaul got its biggest victory of the season Wednesday night, the latest loss in Louisville's late-season collapse.
Quemont Greer scored 19 points and hit the go-ahead shot in overtime to lift the Blue Demons to a 60-58 victory over the Cardinals, who lost their fourth straight.
Andre Brown had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Blue Demons (16-8, 9-4 Conference USA), who beat Louisville in Freedom Hall for the first time since 1986, a span of 10 games.
"This is the best win we've had all year," DePaul coach Dave Leitao said. "Having a win like this does more for our psyche than any words I can say."
DePaul has won nine of its past 11 games, a stretch which also includes a win over No. 19 Memphis.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, took another hard loss. They have lost four in a row for the first time under coach Rick Pitino and dropped six of their last seven overall.
Pitino is concerned the Cardinals are running out of chances to build momentum heading into postseason play.
"It's a bad pattern," Pitino said. "We're still trying to get a 'W.' If not, we'll have to win the (Conference USA) tournament."
Francisco Garcia scored 19 points, but committed five turnovers for Louisville (17-7, 7-6), which shot 37.5 percent (18-of-48), the eighth time in nine games they've been under 40 percent.
DePaul outrebounded Louisville 47-29, the Cardinals' most lopsided rebound deficit this season. The Cardinals were outrebounded for the fourth straight game.
"We're just getting killed on the backboard, dominated every game," Pitino said. "That's very disappointing."
The lead changed hands three times in overtime before Greer's pull-up jumper with 2:15 left put DePaul up 59-58.
Louisville missed a shot and committed two turnovers on its next three possessions. Garcia lost the ball on a drive with 41 seconds left.
Drake Diener, an 85 percent career free-throw shooter, missed the first of two free throws with 11 seconds remaining. He made the second to put DePaul up 60-58.
Larry O'Bannon, who scored 12 points, lost the ball to Delonte Holland on a drive with two seconds left.
Pitino said the Cardinals simply didn't run the play he wanted.
"I don't know what Larry was doing," Pitino said. "It's a mental breakdown, and I'll leave it at that."
The Blue Demons won despite going 1-for-12 from 3-point range and 11-of-25 from the line.
"It was an awful offensive performance for us, but a big-time win," said Diener, who had 11 points.
Louisville led 31-25 after a sluggish first half. Brown, DePaul's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, picked up his fourth foul with 16:38 left and went to the bench.
The Cardinals led 42-38 after O'Bannon's drive with 9:35 left, but Louisville then went more than 6 minutes without a field goal.
"It was pretty much a struggle offensively for both teams," Diener said.
O'Bannon's basket from near the top of the key with 3:05 left ended the Cardinals' field goal drought and gave Louisville a 50-46 lead.
Brown, who returned with 6:38 left, scored inside with 1:59 remaining. Garcia answered with his first basket of the half 30 seconds later to restore Louisville's four-point edge.
Diener hit a shot from the wing with 1:18 left and Louisville lost the ball on a turnover.
Brown's three-point play with 19 seconds left gave DePaul a 53-52 lead -- its first since 10-9.
Garcia hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to put Louisville back on top.
On DePaul's final possession, Greer drove to the basket and was fouled by Alhaji Mohammed. Pitino put his hands on his head and backed into the scorer's table in disbelief at the call.
Garcia waved his arms to incite the crowd before Greer missed the first free throw, but swished the second.
"We felt confidence once we got to overtime," Greer said. "We were excited that we had a chance to win the game."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
