Gibson scores 22 as DePaul surprises No. 8 Xavier 73-72
CHICAGO (AP) Wins like this are just what DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield envisioned when he was hired two years ago to restore a once-proud program. He promised more are coming.
Umoja Gibson scored 22 points, Javan Johnson added 16 and DePaul surprised No. 8 Xavier 73-72 on Wednesday night.
The Musketeers (15-4, 7-1 Big East) came in rolling with 11 straight wins - their best run since the 2015-16 team got off to a 12-0 start. But they came up short against the Blue Demons (9-10, 3-5).
DePaul led by seven with about eight minutes remaining and made just enough plays to come away with its first win over a top-10 team since beating No. 5 Butler exactly three years earlier at Wintrust Arena.
''We're gonna get some more,'' said Stubblefield, a longtime assistant at Oregon before DePaul hired him in April 2021. ''This is what we're supposed to do. This is the reason I came here. This should be the norm.''
Xavier led 70-68 after a twisting layup by Adam Kunkel with 1:43 remaining. DePaul's Eral Penn answered with a three-point play, but missed the front end of a one-and-one with a minute to play.
Zach Freemantle put Xavier back on top, 72-71, when he made two free throws with 46 seconds remaining. But Da'Sean Nelson answered with a layup to put DePaul ahead 73-72 with 28 seconds left.
Souley Boum then missed a layup, leading to a scramble and jump ball, giving DePaul possession with 2.4 seconds remaining. That helped seal the Blue Demons' first win over a ranked opponent since beating No. 21 Xavier on Feb. 5, 2022.
''I feel like we knew we could get the job done,'' Johnson said. ''It's just a matter of sticking together and playing our game and getting stops defensively.''
Gibson, who transferred from Oklahoma last spring, made five 3-pointers. Johnson hit three from beyond the arc. Nelson scored 10, and the Blue Demons won for the second time in three games.
Freemantle had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Xavier. Jack Nunge finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. But it was a rough night for Big East scoring leader Souley Boum and backcourt mate Colby Jones. The two were a combined 4 of 26 from the field and 0 for 8 on 3-pointers, with Boum scoring a season-low four and Jones finishing with eight points.
''They're also the same two guys that allowed us to be the No. 8 team in America,'' coach Sean Miller said. ''You win as a team and you lose as a team. This is the first time since I've coached these guys that I thought we had selfishness throughout our offense.''
TIGHT FINISH
Coming off a loss to Seton Hall after beating Villanova last week, DePaul led 64-57 with 7:49 remaining after Caleb Murphy hit a pull-up jumper. But Xavier reeled off seven straight, tying it on Freemantle's layup off a turnover by the Nelson.
STRONG START
Gibson scored 17 in the first half and Johnson added 14 points for DePaul, including a 3 from the wing just before the buzzer that sent the Blue Demons to the locker room leading 45-40.
They were up 31-26 when Xavier went on a 10-2 run that Jerome Hunter finished with a dunk, making it 36-33 with 3:39 left in the half. Gibson then put DePaul back on top with a four-point play.
It was tied at 40 in the closing minute when DePaul's Eral Penn made two free throws. Boum missed a driving layup before Johnson nailed a 3 to give the Blue Demons a five-point halftime lead.
BIG PICTURE:
Xavier: The Musketeers came in leading the Big East in scoring at 84.2 points per game, field-goal percentage and 3-point accuracy, only to turn in this dud. They shot 38% overall while making 4 of 20 3s and finished with just 13 assists. ''If we play offense the way played offense in this game, there's plenty of more losses coming,'' Miller said.
DePaul: The big question for the Blue Demons now is whether they can build on this and use the win as a springboard for the program.
UP NEXT
Xavier: Hosts Georgetown on Saturday.
DePaul: Visits No. 22 Providence on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Musketeers gains possession) | |||
19:47 | +2 | Zach Freemantle makes two point hook shot (Colby Jones assists) | 2-0 | |
19:28 | Umoja Gibson turnover (Souley Boum steals) | |||
19:14 | +3 | Jack Nunge makes three point jump shot (Adam Kunkel assists) | 5-0 | |
18:58 | Umoja Gibson misses two point jump shot | |||
18:56 | Zach Freemantle defensive rebound | |||
18:46 | +2 | Zach Freemantle makes two point dunk (Adam Kunkel assists) | 7-0 | |
18:21 | +3 | Philmon Gebrewhit makes three point jump shot (Umoja Gibson assists) | 7-3 | |
18:08 | +2 | Adam Kunkel makes two point jump shot | 9-3 | |
18:00 | Javan Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:58 | Jack Nunge defensive rebound | |||
17:54 | Colby Jones turnover (Philmon Gebrewhit steals) | |||
17:44 | Umoja Gibson turnover (Zach Freemantle steals) | |||
17:36 | Yor Anei personal foul | |||
17:27 | +2 | Jack Nunge makes two point jump shot (Souley Boum assists) | 11-3 | |
17:03 | +2 | Umoja Gibson makes two point layup | 11-5 | |
16:54 | Umoja Gibson personal foul | |||
16:54 | +1 | Souley Boum makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-5 | |
16:54 | +1 | Souley Boum makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-5 | |
16:29 | Javan Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
16:27 | Jack Nunge defensive rebound | |||
16:18 | Zach Freemantle misses two point hook shot | |||
16:16 | Umoja Gibson defensive rebound | |||
16:06 | +3 | Umoja Gibson makes three point jump shot | 13-8 | |
15:55 | Caleb Murphy blocks Adam Kunkel's two point jump shot | |||
15:54 | Blue Demons defensive rebound | |||
15:54 | TV timeout | |||
15:38 | Da'Sean Nelson misses two point jump shot | |||
15:36 | Yor Anei offensive rebound | |||
15:36 | Yor Anei misses two point layup | |||
15:34 | Blue Demons offensive rebound | |||
15:31 | Yor Anei offensive foul | |||
15:31 | Yor Anei turnover (offensive foul) | |||
15:11 | Souley Boum misses three point jump shot | |||
15:09 | Da'Sean Nelson defensive rebound | |||
14:44 | Jerome Hunter personal foul | |||
14:44 | Philmon Gebrewhit misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
14:44 | +1 | Philmon Gebrewhit makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-9 | |
14:19 | Desmond Claude misses two point jump shot | |||
14:17 | Da'Sean Nelson defensive rebound | |||
14:11 | +2 | Javan Johnson makes two point layup | 13-11 | |
14:11 | Souley Boum shooting foul (Javan Johnson draws the foul) | |||
14:11 | +1 | Javan Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 13-12 | |
14:05 | Philmon Gebrewhit personal foul | |||
13:52 | +2 | Jerome Hunter makes two point jump shot | 15-12 | |
13:32 | Desmond Claude blocks Caleb Murphy's two point layup | |||
13:30 | Desmond Claude defensive rebound | |||
13:18 | +2 | Jerome Hunter makes two point layup (Colby Jones assists) | 17-12 | |
12:55 | +2 | Javan Johnson makes two point jump shot | 17-14 | |
12:47 | Colby Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
12:45 | Javan Johnson defensive rebound | |||
12:38 | Javan Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
12:36 | Jack Nunge defensive rebound | |||
12:24 | Souley Boum turnover (Umoja Gibson steals) | |||
12:18 | +3 | Umoja Gibson makes three point jump shot | 17-17 | |
12:05 | Desmond Claude turnover (Umoja Gibson steals) | |||
12:00 | +2 | Eral Penn makes two point layup (Caleb Murphy assists) | 17-19 | |
12:00 | Jerome Hunter shooting foul (Eral Penn draws the foul) | |||
12:00 | TV timeout | |||
12:00 | +1 | Eral Penn makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 17-20 | |
11:47 | Colby Jones misses two point layup | |||
11:45 | Umoja Gibson defensive rebound | |||
11:30 | +2 | Caleb Murphy makes two point layup | 17-22 | |
11:15 | Da'Sean Nelson shooting foul (Jack Nunge draws the foul) | |||
11:15 | +1 | Jack Nunge makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-22 | |
11:15 | +1 | Jack Nunge makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-22 | |
11:04 | Umoja Gibson misses three point jump shot | |||
11:02 | Zach Freemantle defensive rebound | |||
10:55 | Souley Boum misses three point jump shot | |||
10:53 | Jack Nunge offensive rebound | |||
10:54 | Da'Sean Nelson personal foul | |||
10:48 | Souley Boum misses two point jump shot | |||
10:46 | Eral Penn defensive rebound | |||
10:39 | Philmon Gebrewhit misses three point jump shot | |||
10:37 | Colby Jones defensive rebound | |||
10:28 | Jack Nunge misses three point jump shot | |||
10:26 | Eral Penn defensive rebound | |||
10:12 | +3 | Javan Johnson makes three point jump shot | 19-25 | |
9:51 | Colby Jones misses two point layup | |||
9:49 | Jack Nunge offensive rebound | |||
9:46 | Jack Nunge misses two point layup | |||
9:44 | Zach Freemantle offensive rebound | |||
9:44 | Zach Freemantle misses two point layup | |||
9:42 | Musketeers offensive rebound | |||
9:30 | Javan Johnson blocks Colby Jones's two point layup | |||
9:28 | Eral Penn defensive rebound | |||
9:23 | Caleb Murphy turnover (bad pass) (Zach Freemantle steals) | |||
9:01 | +2 | Jack Nunge makes two point layup | 21-25 | |
8:33 | +3 | Javan Johnson makes three point jump shot (Philmon Gebrewhit assists) | 21-28 | |
8:13 | +2 | Adam Kunkel makes two point layup | 23-28 | |
7:48 | Philmon Gebrewhit turnover (bad pass) (Jerome Hunter steals) | |||
7:34 | +3 | Adam Kunkel makes three point jump shot | 26-28 | |
7:16 | +3 | Umoja Gibson makes three point jump shot | 26-31 | |
7:06 | Adam Kunkel misses three point jump shot | |||
7:04 | Philmon Gebrewhit defensive rebound | |||
6:38 | Umoja Gibson misses two point jump shot | |||
6:36 | Desmond Claude defensive rebound | |||
6:26 | Javan Johnson shooting foul (Jerome Hunter draws the foul) | |||
6:26 | TV timeout | |||
6:26 | +1 | Jerome Hunter makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-31 | |
6:26 | +1 | Jerome Hunter makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-31 | |
6:04 | Zion Cruz misses three point jump shot | |||
6:02 | Eral Penn offensive rebound | |||
6:00 | Eral Penn turnover (lost ball) (KyKy Tandy steals) | |||
6:00 | Zion Cruz personal foul | |||
6:00 | +1 | KyKy Tandy makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-31 | |
6:00 | +1 | KyKy Tandy makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-31 | |
5:41 | Javan Johnson turnover (bad pass) | |||
5:28 | Jump ball. Zach Freemantle vs. Javan Johnson (Blue Demons gains possession) | |||
5:41 | Zach Freemantle turnover (lost ball) (Javan Johnson steals) | |||
5:16 | Javan Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
5:14 | Souley Boum defensive rebound | |||
4:51 | +2 | Zach Freemantle makes two point jump shot | 32-31 | |
4:34 | +2 | Caleb Murphy makes two point jump shot | 32-33 | |
4:07 | +2 | Zach Freemantle makes two point layup (Jerome Hunter assists) | 34-33 | |
4:07 | Philmon Gebrewhit shooting foul (Zach Freemantle draws the foul) | |||
4:07 | Zach Freemantle misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
4:07 | Javan Johnson defensive rebound | |||
3:51 | Caleb Murphy misses two point jump shot | |||
3:49 | KyKy Tandy defensive rebound | |||
3:39 | +2 | Jerome Hunter makes two point dunk (Souley Boum assists) | 36-33 | |
3:38 | Blue Demons 30 second timeout | |||
3:38 | TV timeout | |||
3:28 | +3 | Umoja Gibson makes three point jump shot (Javan Johnson assists) | 36-36 | |
3:28 | KyKy Tandy shooting foul (Umoja Gibson draws the foul) | |||
3:28 | +1 | Umoja Gibson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 36-37 | |
3:17 | Da'Sean Nelson blocks Colby Jones's two point layup | |||
3:15 | Musketeers offensive rebound | |||
2:58 | Zach Freemantle turnover (traveling) | |||
2:32 | Da'Sean Nelson misses two point jump shot | |||
2:30 | Zach Freemantle defensive rebound | |||
2:23 | Zach Freemantle turnover (bad pass) (Javan Johnson steals) | |||
2:15 | Jack Nunge shooting foul (Eral Penn draws the foul) | |||
2:15 | +1 | Eral Penn makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 36-38 | |
2:15 | Eral Penn misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
2:15 | Colby Jones defensive rebound | |||
1:56 | Souley Boum misses two point jump shot | |||
1:54 | Yor Anei defensive rebound | |||
1:38 | +2 | Umoja Gibson makes two point layup | 36-40 | |
1:26 | Colby Jones misses two point layup | |||
1:24 | Jack Nunge offensive rebound | |||
1:25 | Jerome Hunter offensive rebound | |||
1:22 | Jerome Hunter misses two point layup | |||
1:24 | Jack Nunge offensive rebound | |||
1:22 | +2 | Jack Nunge makes two point layup | 38-40 | |
1:07 | Caleb Murphy misses two point jump shot | |||
1:05 | Jerome Hunter defensive rebound | |||
1:02 | Javan Johnson personal foul (Colby Jones draws the foul) | |||
1:02 | +1 | Colby Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 39-40 | |
1:02 | +1 | Colby Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 40-40 | |
0:49 | Jerome Hunter shooting foul (Eral Penn draws the foul) | |||
0:49 | +1 | Eral Penn makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 40-41 | |
0:49 | +1 | Eral Penn makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 40-42 | |
0:28 | Souley Boum misses two point layup | |||
0:26 | Blue Demons defensive rebound | |||
0:02 | +3 | Javan Johnson makes three point jump shot (Umoja Gibson assists) | 40-45 | |
0:00 | End of period |