March 15, 2005
Box Score |
Notes
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Drake Diener scored a career-high 30 points and tied his career best with seven 3-pointers, leading DePaul to a 75-70 victory over Missouri in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night.
Quemont Greer added 17 points and Draelon Burns had six assists for the Blue Demons (20-10), who dropped to the NIT after losing three of the last four regular-season games. DePaul will play the winner of Clemson vs. Texas A&M in the second round.
Linas Kleiza had 23 points and Thomas Gardner 17 for Missouri (16-17), which had a losing season for the first time since it also was 16-17 in 1996-97. The Tigers have been in the postseason eight straight seasons, but the last two they've lost in the first round of the NIT.
Diener, who averages 13.6 points and is a 45 percent shooter from 3-point range, was 7-for-11 from long range and was the only DePaul player with a 3-pointer. He was at his best at the end, scoring DePaul's final seven points in the last 1:50. That included a tip-in by the 6-foot-5 guard with 20 seconds to go for a 73-70 lead.
Diener was 11-for-15 overall, topping his previous career best of 28 points against Dayton on March 18, 2004, and he hit seven 3-pointers for the second time in his career. He also had that many at Charlotte on Feb. 16.
Missouri kept it close despite going almost 7{ minutes between baskets in the second half and shooting 39.7 percent for the game. The Tigers hurt themselves with errant 3-point shooting, going 6-for-25.
Missouri finished 14-5 in its first season at the new Mizzou Arena. The game drew 5,997, the lowest of the season.
Diener had four 3-pointers and 16 points in the first half to help DePaul take a 41-38 lead. DePaul appeared to have taken control with a 19-6 run that put the Blue Demons ahead 35-25 with 4:42 to go in the first half, but Missouri scored the next nine points.
DePaul shot 49 percent, but had trouble shaking Missouri. The Blue Demons' biggest lead in the second half was five points.
