DePaul had to wait an extra couple of days to get back on the court after their game against Seton Hall was postponed. Facing Marquette, the Blue Demons had one thing on their mind: payback.

Payback for the lopsided loss at home against UConn. The only thing standing in their way was the Golden Eagles. In a close game heading into the fourth quarter, DePaul left Milwaukee with an 87-82 victory. 

However, Marquette did not make things easy. The first half of play was a back-and-forth affair with DePaul leading throughout the majority of the half, but with Marquette not far behind. At one point, the Blue Demons pulled away to a 10-point advantage but the Golden Eagles battled back to pull within two at halftime.

DePaul looked like they were pulling away in the third quarter. Midway through the quarter, the Blue Demons were on a 19-4 run. Marquette responded with a 15-2 run of their own to cut DePaul’s lead to 63-59.

The fourth quarter did not deviate from the rest of the game with both teams trading baskets. It seemed like every time DePaul scored, Marquette would be quick with a response. There was no let up from either side. They traded the lead and the game came down to the final minutes.

Holding on to a three point lead, Sonya Morris sunk a crucial basket with 26 seconds left to go. Marquette were forced to foul in possession, sending DePaul players to the free-throw line as the Blue Demons managed to come away with a 87-82 win.

One of the reasons why Marquette was able to make the game so close was their height. They used that advantage to set up favorable matchups on the court. DePaul struggled containing the likes of Jordan King and Lauren Van Kleunen who both ended the game with 21 points each.

The mismatch caused by Marquette’s height advantage also led to foul trouble for the likes of Jorie Allen. Allen ended up fouling out in the fourth quarter. 

Holding onto the ball also was a problem for DePaul. They forced Marquette to commit 22 turnovers but the Blue Demons committed 19 of their own. In the past, protecting the ball is something that coach Doug Bruno has stressed.

It may not have been the statement win coach Bruno or his players would have wanted coming off the UConn loss but a win is a win.

The Blue Demons were much improved offensively speaking. They finished the game shooting 46.2 percent from the field. They shot 63.6 percent in the fourth quarter, which proved significant. 

Morris scored 23 points and added three rebounds and three assists. Lexi Held finished with 17 points and five steals. Dee Bekelja contributed 18 points, six rebounds and five steals.

However, the standout for DePaul in this game was Deja Church who led the team with 24 points and had six rebounds, three assists and five steals. 

With the win, the Blue Demons improve their record to 10-4 overall and 7-2 in Big East play. DePaul heads east for its next game where they will take on St. John’s at the Carnesecca Arena.