OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a frantic final minute and a decisive defensive stand, the DePaul Blue Demons edged the Creighton Bluejays 72-71 in a pivotal Big East Conference men’s basketball clash Wednesday night before a crowd of 15,994 at CenturyLink Center.

The victory, sealed when Creighton’s final two shot attempts in the last eight seconds missed the mark, completed a regular-season sweep for DePaul over the Bluejays and moved the Blue Demons above .500 in conference play. The result flipped the script on pregame projections, as Creighton had been installed as a five-point favorite and statistical models gave the Bluejays an 87.7 percent probability to win.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the game’s closing moments. With DePaul clinging to a 72-71 lead after Creighton’s Nik Graves made two free throws with 56.6 seconds remaining, the Blue Demons worked the clock. Brandon Maclin’s driving layup was off target, but the guard from Jackson, Tennessee, followed his own miss with a tip-in to push the lead to three with 1:12 left.

Creighton answered immediately, as Josh Dix of Council Bluffs, Iowa, drained a three-pointer from the wing off a feed from Fedor Žugić, knotting the score at 71 with 45 seconds to play. On the ensuing possession, DePaul went back to Maclin, whose drive and dish found NJ Benson under the basket. The Mt. Vernon, Illinois, native was fouled on the layup attempt by Žugić. Benson made the layup but missed the subsequent free throw, leaving DePaul ahead 72-71 with 32 seconds remaining.

Creighton called a timeout to set up a final play. Out of the break, Graves drove the lane, but his contested layup rolled off the rim. Jasen Green, the Omaha native who was a force inside all night for Creighton, grabbed the offensive rebound but his hurried put-back attempt was off target as well. DePaul’s Benson secured the defensive board as time expired, triggering a celebration for the visiting Blue Demons.

The game was a tale of two halves, with Creighton controlling the opening period. The Bluejays used an 11-0 run midway through the first half, fueled by three-pointers from Dix and Isaac Traudt, to build a 24-15 lead. They took a 38-30 advantage into halftime, shooting efficiently from the field while DePaul’s offense sputtered outside of Benson’s interior work.

The second half belonged to DePaul’s backcourt. Maclin, who finished with a game-high 21 points, spearheaded the comeback. His three-pointer at the 14:32 mark capped a 7-0 DePaul run that gave the Blue Demons their first lead since the opening minutes at 51-48. The teams then traded blows in a tense, back-and-forth affair that featured six lead changes and five ties in the final 13 minutes.

Maclin’s backcourt mate, CJ Gunn of Indianapolis, provided crucial scoring support, adding 11 points, including three key three-pointers in the second half. Benson was a constant presence, contributing 14 points and several key defensive plays, including a block and a steal in the final minutes.

For Creighton, the loss was a collective effort in scoring but ultimately a story of missed opportunities. Five Bluejays scored in double figures, led by Dix with 15 points. Graves and Žugić each added 14, while Green posted a strong line of 13 points, four assists and two blocks. However, Creighton was plagued by 18 turnovers, which DePaul converted into 19 points, and struggled to get consistent stops down the stretch.

DePaul improved to 15-13 overall and 8-7 in the Big East, while Creighton fell to 14-15 and 6-9. The Blue Demons have now won two of their last three games, while the Bluejays have dropped three of their last four.

The game’s total points, 143, fell just under the pregame over/under line of 141.

DePaul next travels to face Marquette on Sunday. Creighton returns to action at home against Providence on Saturday.