DEPAUL

NOVA

Justin Moore's 3-pointer at 8 seconds left lifts Villanova past 24-point underdog DePaul in Big East

AP
Mar 14, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) Justin Moore made a 3-pointer with eight seconds left in the second half and sixth-seeded Villanova Wildcats escaped a huge upset by beating 24-point underdog DePaul Blue Demons 58-57 Wednesday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament.

The Wildcats (18-14), desperate for wins to pad their NCAA Tournament resume, face third-seeded and 10th-ranked Marquette on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Terry’s pull-up jumper gave the Blue Demons (3-29) a 57-55 lead with 1:13 left, but DePaul could not pad its advantage. Villanova was down two with 17 seconds left and came out of a timeout with a play that got Moore a good look from 3 and he swished the shot.

“Thank God for Justin Moore,” coach Kyle Neptune said.

Moore finished with 10 points as Villanova shot just 11 for 35 from 3-point range.

“In the moment, I just wanted to win. Big time players make big time plays,” Moore said.

DePaul rushed down the court with a timeout left, but couldn't get off a shot as Terry turned the ball over. The Blue Demons ended their season with a 20-game losing streak.

Terry finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead 11th-seeded DePaul.

“I feel like we were more connected today than any other day. I don't know what it was,” Terry said.

The Blue Demons endured maybe the worst season in Big East history, becoming the first team to go 0-20 in the conference during the regular season. Coach Tony Stubblefield was fired in late January and replaced by assistant Matt Brady, who finished his stint as interim coach without a victory.

“Grateful for our guys for playing a 40-minute game,” Brady said.

The Wildcats went up 52-50 on Eric Dixon's 3 with 4:43 left in the second half, but Elijah Fisher muscled his way inside for a layup to tie it with 3:25 remaining.

Dixon scored 21 points to lead the Wildcats.

Da'Sean Nelson put DePaul up 55-52 on a three-point play with 1:52 left, but Dixon responded with a straight-on 3 to tie it moments later.

---

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

1st Half
DEP
Blue Demons
25
NOVA
Wildcats
27

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Wildcats gains possession)
19:44	+2	Eric Dixon makes two point hook shot	0-2
19:13		Chico Carter Jr. misses two point jump shot
19:11		Tyler Burton defensive rebound
19:02		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
19:00		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
18:45		Elijah Fisher misses three point jump shot
18:43		TJ Bamba defensive rebound
18:32		Eric Dixon misses two point hook shot
18:30		Churchill Abass defensive rebound
18:29		Eric Dixon personal foul
18:05		Jaden Henley misses three point jump shot
18:03		Justin Moore defensive rebound
17:54	+2	Eric Dixon makes two point layup (Justin Moore assists)	0-4
17:54		Churchill Abass shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul)
17:54		Eric Dixon misses regular free throw 1 of 1
17:54		Churchill Abass defensive rebound
17:36		Churchill Abass misses two point layup
17:34		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
17:26		Justin Moore misses three point jump shot
17:24		Jaden Henley defensive rebound
17:06		Jaden Henley misses three point jump shot
17:04		Justin Moore defensive rebound
16:49		TJ Bamba misses three point jump shot
16:47		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
16:39		Jalen Terry misses three point jump shot
16:37		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
16:21	+3	Mark Armstrong makes three point jump shot (TJ Bamba assists)	0-7
15:53		Churchill Abass misses two point jump shot
15:51		Tyler Burton defensive rebound
15:38		TJ Bamba turnover (Elijah Fisher steals)
15:23	+3	Chico Carter Jr. makes three point jump shot (Elijah Fisher assists)	3-7
15:04		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
15:02		Elijah Fisher defensive rebound
14:48		Jalen Terry misses three point jump shot
14:46		Jalen Terry offensive rebound
14:45		Tyler Burton shooting foul (Jalen Terry draws the foul)
14:44		TV timeout
14:45	+1	Jalen Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	4-7
14:45	+1	Jalen Terry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-7
14:36	+2	Mark Armstrong makes two point layup	5-9
14:36		Jalen Terry shooting foul (Mark Armstrong draws the foul)
14:36	+1	Mark Armstrong makes regular free throw 1 of 1	5-10
14:18		Justin Moore shooting foul (Elijah Fisher draws the foul)
14:18	+1	Elijah Fisher makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-10
14:18		Elijah Fisher misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:18		Lance Ware defensive rebound
13:57		Mark Armstrong misses three point jump shot
13:55		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
13:41		Chico Carter Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:39		Jalen Terry offensive rebound
13:34		Jalen Terry misses three point jump shot
13:32		Lance Ware defensive rebound
13:13		Mark Armstrong misses two point layup
13:13		Lance Ware offensive rebound
13:13		Da'Sean Nelson shooting foul
13:13		Lance Ware misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:13		Lance Ware misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:13		Chico Carter Jr. defensive rebound
12:54		Brendan Hausen personal foul
12:41		Lance Ware blocks Da'Sean Nelson's two point jump shot
12:39		Jordan Longino defensive rebound
12:23		Jordan Longino misses three point jump shot
12:21		Blue Demons defensive rebound
11:59	+3	Jeremiah Oden makes three point jump shot (Jalen Terry assists)	9-10
11:39		Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot
11:37		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
11:26		Jaden Henley misses three point jump shot
11:24		Lance Ware defensive rebound
11:09		Hakim Hart offensive foul
11:09		Hakim Hart turnover (offensive foul)
11:09		TV timeout
10:48		Jeremiah Oden misses two point layup
10:46		Jalen Terry offensive rebound
10:40		Da'Sean Nelson misses three point jump shot
10:38		Brendan Hausen defensive rebound
10:26	+2	Eric Dixon makes two point layup	9-12
10:01		Jaden Henley misses two point layup
9:59		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
9:50		Da'Sean Nelson personal foul
9:38		Eric Dixon turnover (Jeremiah Oden steals)
9:29		K.T. Raimey misses three point jump shot
9:27		Justin Moore defensive rebound
9:19		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
9:17		Elijah Fisher defensive rebound
8:57		Chico Carter Jr. turnover (traveling)
8:40	+3	Jordan Longino makes three point jump shot (Mark Armstrong assists)	9-15
8:06		Jump ball. (Blue Demons gains possession)
8:06		Blue Demons turnover (shot clock violation)
7:54	+2	Tyler Burton makes two point dunk (Eric Dixon assists)	9-17
7:33	+3	Jeremiah Oden makes three point jump shot (Chico Carter Jr. assists)	12-17
7:10	+2	Justin Moore makes two point jump shot (Mark Armstrong assists)	12-19
6:43		K.T. Raimey misses three point jump shot
6:41		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
6:31		Mark Armstrong misses three point jump shot
6:29		Churchill Abass defensive rebound
6:14		Chico Carter Jr. misses two point layup
6:12		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
5:55		Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot
5:53		Elijah Fisher defensive rebound
5:30		Jeremiah Oden misses three point jump shot
5:28		Churchill Abass offensive rebound
5:28		Justin Moore personal foul
5:28		TV timeout
5:08		K.T. Raimey misses three point jump shot
5:06		Tyler Burton defensive rebound
4:42		TJ Bamba turnover (bad pass)
4:15	+2	Elijah Fisher makes two point layup (Jalen Terry assists)	14-19
3:54		Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot
3:52		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
3:41		Jalen Terry turnover (Tyler Burton steals)
3:30		Mark Armstrong misses two point layup
3:28		Churchill Abass defensive rebound
3:13	+3	K.T. Raimey makes three point jump shot (Elijah Fisher assists)	17-19
2:51		TV timeout
2:47		Mark Armstrong turnover (Churchill Abass steals)
2:23	+3	Jalen Terry makes three point jump shot (Chico Carter Jr. assists)	20-19
2:04	+2	Eric Dixon makes two point layup (TJ Bamba assists)	20-21
1:40	+3	K.T. Raimey makes three point jump shot (Chico Carter Jr. assists)	23-21
1:12	+3	Jordan Longino makes three point jump shot (Mark Armstrong assists)	23-24
0:43		Churchill Abass misses two point layup
0:41		Jordan Longino defensive rebound
0:33	+3	Jordan Longino makes three point jump shot (Tyler Burton assists)	23-27
0:28		Blue Demons 30 second timeout
0:04	+2	Jeremiah Oden makes two point dunk (Da'Sean Nelson assists)	25-27
0:02		Wildcats 30 second timeout
0:01		Jordan Longino misses three point jump shot
0:00		Wildcats offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
DEP
Blue Demons
32
NOVA
Wildcats
31

Time		Play	Score
19:50		Eric Dixon turnover (Churchill Abass steals)
19:24	+2	Churchill Abass makes two point jump shot (Jalen Terry assists)	27-27
19:03	+3	Mark Armstrong makes three point jump shot (Eric Dixon assists)	27-30
18:34	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point layup (Jalen Terry assists)	29-30
18:20	+2	Mark Armstrong makes two point layup	29-32
17:58		Elijah Fisher misses two point layup
17:56		Tyler Burton defensive rebound
17:42		Eric Dixon turnover (bad pass)
17:20	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point layup	31-32
16:58		Mark Armstrong misses three point jump shot
16:56		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
16:48		Jaden Henley misses three point jump shot
16:46		Mark Armstrong defensive rebound
16:39		Mark Armstrong turnover (Jalen Terry steals)
16:35	+2	Jalen Terry makes two point layup	33-32
16:21		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
16:19		Eric Dixon offensive rebound
16:11		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
16:09		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
15:56		Chico Carter Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:54		Justin Moore defensive rebound
15:42		Jaden Henley personal foul
15:42		TV timeout
15:25		Mark Armstrong misses three point jump shot
15:23		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
15:03	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point jump shot	35-32
14:46		Da'Sean Nelson personal foul
14:44		Churchill Abass blocks Eric Dixon's two point layup
14:42		Elijah Fisher defensive rebound
14:31		Hakim Hart personal foul
14:17		Justin Moore blocks Elijah Fisher's two point jump shot
14:15		Brendan Hausen defensive rebound
14:15		Jump ball. (Wildcats gains possession)
14:00		Mark Armstrong turnover (Chico Carter Jr. steals)
13:39		Jeremiah Oden misses two point dunk
13:37		Churchill Abass offensive rebound
13:33	+2	Churchill Abass makes two point layup	37-32
13:09		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
13:07		Elijah Fisher defensive rebound
12:59	+3	Jalen Terry makes three point jump shot	40-32
12:49		Wildcats 30 second timeout
12:49		TV timeout
12:38	+3	Eric Dixon makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists)	40-35
12:08		Elijah Fisher misses two point layup
12:06		Hakim Hart defensive rebound
12:00		Tyler Burton misses three point jump shot
11:58		Elijah Fisher defensive rebound
11:33		Chico Carter Jr. misses two point layup
11:31		Justin Moore defensive rebound
11:27		Hakim Hart misses three point jump shot
11:25		Churchill Abass defensive rebound
11:03		Chico Carter Jr. turnover (bad pass)
11:03		TV timeout
10:52		Mark Armstrong turnover (Churchill Abass steals)
10:47		Tyler Burton blocks Jeremiah Oden's two point layup
10:45		Churchill Abass offensive rebound
10:44		Eric Dixon blocks Churchill Abass's two point layup
10:42		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
10:42		Churchill Abass personal foul
10:32	+3	Tyler Burton makes three point jump shot (TJ Bamba assists)	40-38
10:04		Jalen Terry misses three point jump shot
10:02		Blue Demons offensive rebound
9:41		Jump ball. (Wildcats gains possession)
9:39	+2	Eric Dixon makes two point layup (Mark Armstrong assists)	40-40
9:18		Tyler Burton personal foul
9:09		Jeremiah Oden misses three point jump shot
9:07		Da'Sean Nelson offensive rebound
9:04	+2	Da'Sean Nelson makes two point layup	42-40
8:44	+3	Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Tyler Burton assists)	42-43
8:25		TJ Bamba personal foul
8:10		Da'Sean Nelson misses two point layup
8:08		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
7:48	+2	Tyler Burton makes two point dunk (Eric Dixon assists)	42-45
7:30	+3	Jalen Terry makes three point jump shot (Da'Sean Nelson assists)	45-45
7:11		TV timeout
7:06	+2	Justin Moore makes two point hook shot (Brendan Hausen assists)	45-47
6:30		Da'Sean Nelson turnover (Justin Moore steals)
6:20		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
6:18		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
6:14	+3	Jalen Terry makes three point jump shot (Da'Sean Nelson assists)	48-47
5:43		K.T. Raimey blocks Brendan Hausen's three point jump shot
5:41		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
5:34		Jalen Terry misses three point jump shot
5:32		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
5:19		K.T. Raimey shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul)
5:19	+1	Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-48
5:19	+1	Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-49
5:02	+2	Da'Sean Nelson makes two point layup	50-49
4:45	+3	Eric Dixon makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists)	50-52
4:19		Da'Sean Nelson misses two point jump shot
4:17		Tyler Burton defensive rebound
3:55		Justin Moore misses two point layup
3:53		Jaden Henley defensive rebound
3:41		Eric Dixon personal foul
3:41		TV timeout
3:27	+2	Elijah Fisher makes two point layup (Jaden Henley assists)	52-52
3:04		Wildcats 30 second timeout
2:58		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
2:56		Tyler Burton offensive rebound
2:52		Justin Moore misses three point jump shot
2:50		Da'Sean Nelson defensive rebound
2:30		Tyler Burton blocks Jaden Henley's two point layup
2:28		Justin Moore defensive rebound
2:16		Chico Carter Jr. personal foul
2:09		Elijah Fisher blocks Tyler Burton's three point jump shot
2:07		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
1:52	+2	Da'Sean Nelson makes two point layup (Jalen Terry assists)	54-52
1:52		Tyler Burton shooting foul (Da'Sean Nelson draws the foul)
1:52	+1	Da'Sean Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	55-52
1:37	+3	Eric Dixon makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists)	55-55
1:15	+2	Jalen Terry makes two point jump shot	57-55
0:53		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
0:51		Jalen Terry defensive rebound
0:38		Blue Demons 30 second timeout
0:25		Mark Armstrong blocks Jalen Terry's two point jump shot
0:24		Blue Demons offensive rebound
0:24		Blue Demons 30 second timeout
0:19		Da'Sean Nelson misses three point jump shot
0:19		Blue Demons offensive rebound
0:19		Blue Demons turnover (shot clock violation)
0:17		Wildcats 30 second timeout
0:10	+3	Justin Moore makes three point jump shot	57-58
0:03		Jalen Terry turnover (Mark Armstrong steals)
0:00		End of period

Jalen Terry turnover (Mark Armstrong steals)