After catching their first loss of Big East play at the hands of Creighton on Friday, redemption was in order for DePaul and head coach Doug Bruno as they hosted Providence on Sunday. The Blue Demons pulled a ten-point lead at halftime into a 93-71 win behind a triple-double from senior Kelly Campbell. 

The first quarter started off well for the visiting Friars as they swung the ball around, leading to a quick 9-5 lead behind the work of Sophia Widmeyer who knocked down a three. Things were swinging in the Friars’ favor out of the jump before Campbell and Sonya Morris went on a 10-0 run, scoring five points each as DePaul took a 15-9 lead with 4:43 left in the first quarter. 

Campbell had eight of the first 18 points for DePaul. Usually not a primary scorer on the team, the senior guard has been able to step up in that category when needed. 

Providence wouldn’t be put down though, as key contributions came in from Kyra Spiwak and Chanell Williams, the duo combined for 12 points down the stretch of the quarter, cutting the lead to 21-19 after ten minutes. 

Starting the second quarter, Chante Stonewall marked off a 11-0 run with a 4-point play that put DePaul up 32-21 in just a 1:44 stretch. From there, the Blue Demons went step for step with the Friars as Morris entered double-figures with 18 points in the first half, 11 in the second quarter.  “I think it’s a mental aspect for me, just having confidence even when I’m missing shots I’m not getting in my own head,” Morris said.

A quick 6-0 run from Providence cut the DePaul lead to just 39-34 with two minutes left in the half. After that, Morris would hit a midrange step-back jumper at the buzzer to extend the Blue Demon lead to 44-34 at the half. 

In the third quarter, two quick buckets including a layup by Widmeyer forced Bruno to call a timeout. Yet DePaul would storm back, with nine straight points fueled by a Dee Bekelja layup putting them up 53-38 with 6:33 left in the third quarter. 

Bekelja added a needed spark off the bench as Stonewall was sidelined after picking up her third foul early on. She’d end the game with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting. 

“Dee Bekelja has an instinct to score the ball,” Bruno said. “It’s just an uncanny instinct to score the basketball and she gives us a lift.”

The Blue Demons stormed on, keeping a double-digit lead until Williams cut the lead to 56-49 after scoring four quick points. Providence would get it within five points with two minutes left in the quarter.

DePaul was on a 4:13 stretch without a field goal before Lexi Held got a tough and-one to extend the lead back to double-figures at 61-51 with 1:30 left in the quarter. That lead was extended by a Bekelja layup just 40 seconds later that put DePaul up 64-53 going into the final quarter. 

Campbell’s terrific day continued as she got up to nine points, nine rebounds and nine assists at the end of the quarter. 

Stonewall, Campbell and Bekelja opened the fourth quarter with triples followed up by a Maya Stovall layup to make it 75-53 with 8:06 left in the game.
DePaul kept its run going and with 5:45 left, Campbell got her tenth rebound to notch her second triple-double in her career at DePaul. She had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists on the day.

“It feels great to get a triple-double,” Campbell said. “I’ve gotten one before but it doesn’t happen often so I’m excited to get one but I’m just glad to get the win today.”

Campbell’s triple-double is the second in her career and ties Jessica January for the most in program history. 

“A triple-double is a way for her once in a while to get noticed from a statistical point of view as well as from doing all those little things game in and game out,” Bruno said.

Lexi Held and Sonya Morris combined for 39 points in the win as Campbell, Stonewall and Bekelja all scored in double figures to aid the win. 

DePaul will face St. John’s on Friday at 6 p.m. on the road as they look to improve to 10-1 in conference play and 21-3 overall.