Frigid Tigers drop third straight game, fall 63-62 to DePaul

CHICAGO -- Kareem Rush can't figure out why Missouri is struggling so much with its shooting.

Rush was just 5-of-18, and 10th-ranked Missouri shot 33 percent Saturday in losing its third straight game, 63-62 to DePaul.

"I'm looking at myself and what I can do to get us back in the game. I tried to get fouled and I can't get fouled. I try to make shots and I can't get a bucket," said Rush, who scored 15 points.

"I don't know what we shot, but if we make 15 percent more, we win. I'm not one to get down on myself. I'm still optimistic about what we can do."

Arthur Johnson led the Tigers (9-3) with a career-high 20 points and also had 18 rebounds, but guards Wesley Stokes (1-of-9) and Clarence Gilbert (5-of-16) had poor shooting days.

The Tigers shot 50 percent in their nine-game winning streak to open the season and just 35 percent in losses to Iowa and Illinois, a trend that continued Saturday.

"Their two best players haven't shot well the last two games and they were trying to prove a point to us," said DePaul's Imari Sawyer, who made two key plays in the stretch Saturday.

"They rushed some shots."

Rush has made just 15 of 51 field-goal attempts the last three weeks, while Gilbert is 9-of-39 during the same stretch.

"We're taking good shots and the odds will kick in if we keep doing that," Missouri coach Quin Snyder said. "I'll be glad when December's over."

Andre Brown scored 18 points to lead DePaul (7-4), which has won four straight. Quemont Greer added 12 points, and Sawyer 11.

One month ago, DePaul was embarrassed during a 27-point home loss against Notre Dame.

"That loss hurt us all," DePaul coach Pat Kennedy said. "Since the Notre Dame game, this is one of the biggest stretches I've seen since I've been coaching."

DePaul had a 62-56 lead and the ball in the closing seconds, but turned it over on an inbounds pass, and Missouri nearly came back.

Rickey Paulding banked in a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left and, after DePaul's Sam Hoskin made the second of two free throws, Gilbert banked in another 3-pointer to get the Tigers to 63-62 with four seconds to go.

But DePaul inbounded the ball to Sawyer, who made a nice catch and then threw the ball up in the air as the clock ran out.