RUTGERS RALLIES PAST DEPAUL, 71-62

Rutgers avoided disaster Saturday afternoon with a big second half to get past Big East cellar-dweller DePaul, 71-62 at the RAC. The Blue Demons entered the game on a nine-game losing streak, but dominated the first half, keading by as many as 13 and finished the half up 37-26.

However, just like their first meeting earlier this month when the Scarlet Knights rallied from 16 points down for a win, behind a monster second-half run, Rutgers rallies past DePaul (Star-Ledger) for a victory.

Rutgers started the second-half with a 30-7 run, taking a 56-44 lead with 9:11 left in the game on a three-pointer by James Beatty.

DePaul would chip away at the lead and close the gap to four points with 2:13 left on a three-pointer from Jeremiah Kelly. However, RU sophomore Mike Rosario, who had four three-pointers in the earlier 30-7 run, would hit a timely bucket to answer the Blue Demon run and RU would hit seven of eight free throws to close out the win.

Rosario was two shy of blackjack in the second-half as he scored 19 of his game-high 24 after intermission. Jonathan Mitchell added 18 in the win as the Scarlet Knights improve to 15-14 on the year and 5-11 in the Big East.

Mac Koshwal scored 20 in the loss for DePaul as the Blue Demons dropped their 10th straight game, falling to 1-15 in the conference and 8-20 overall.