Tucker's 16 points lead DePaul over St. John's 60-54

1/12/2008 1:43 PM

NEW YORK (AP) -Dar Tucker scored seven of his 16 points in a 16-0 second-half run, leading DePaul to a 60-54 victory over St. John's on Saturday.

Mac Koshwal and Draelon Burns both had 10 points for the Blue Demons (7-8, 3-1 Big East), who had won four straight until this week's loss to No. 7 Georgetown. Wesley Green had 12 rebounds to lead DePaul, which was outrebounded 39-31.

Justin Burrell had 18 points for the Red Storm (7-8, 1-3), who have lost two straight and four of five.

Burrell connected on two jumpers as the Red Storm scored the first six points of the second half for their biggest lead of the game, 30-21 with 16:29 to go.

DePaul then sandwiched runs of 14-4 and 16-0 around a 7-0 spurt by the Red Storm.

Burns' three-point play capped DePaul's first run that made it 35-34 with 12:25 to go.

Larry Wright's 3-pointer started St. John's burst that gave it the lead and Burrell finished it with a jumper with 9:21 left that made 41-35.

Tucker's 3-pointer with 7:24 left gave the Blue Demons the lead for good at 42-41, and he completed the crushing 16-0 run with a layup with 4:43 left as DePaul went ahead 51-41.

The closest St. John's would get was 58-54 on two free throws by Malik Boothe with 10 seconds to go.