“I did not think we played as detailed as we needed to or as hard as we needed to,” Holtmann said. “I didn’t think we played as smart as we needed to. You know, that was, and give them credit. But I also thought we created some of those issues ourselves.”

“I feel like our patience,” Benson said. “I think down the stretch in the second half, we got a little bit, coach likes to say we were moving a little too fast, but I think our patience was really big for us tonight, and they pressed the whole game, and I feel like we kind of executed.”

Nate Kasher, Milijašević, Maker, McClure and Lorenz are the lineup closing out the game. 

With Pierre-Justin’s 12 points in the game so far, he has led the bench to contribute 25 points. The starters have combined for 54 points.

Blocker and Benson have both scored eight points in the half, with Benson getting fed the ball in the paint, dunking it four times. The team has continued to get to the free-throw line, making six free throws. They have nine assists in the half and are 3-for-8 from three.

DePaul put Maclin back in the game and now all the starters are in with a 25-point lead and 11 minutes remaining.

Benson, Blocker, Gunn and Banks are in the game for the Blue Demons with Smith. There is 11:50 remaining and DePaul has a 25-point lead.

McClure finally gets his first points on the board with a three-pointer. He is the only freshman to see minutes so far in the game.

The Blue Demons only have six points in about five minutes of play in the second half. Blocker knocked down two free throws and Benson had two dunks. The paint and free throws continue to be key on offense.

The starters for the second half remain the same for the Blue Demons: Maclin, Blocker, Benson, Gunn and Banks.

The DePaul Blue Demons enter halftime with a 25-point lead. DePaul has had key contributions from returners and new additions.

Pierre-Justin is the leading scorer for the Blue Demons with 10 points and Gunn is second with nine points.

Banks has scored seven points and is 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Khaman Maker has three points and two blocks in six minutes of play. Maclin has four points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds.

Banks, Maker and Maclin were additions from the transfer portal.

DePaul’s paint points, free throws and steals continue to increase.

20 points in the paint.

12 free throws.

Nine steals. Maclin has four of the nine.

The Blue Demons are continuing to get in the paint, get to the free-throw line and get stops on the defensive end. DePaul has a 15-point lead with a Benson dunk and is up to seven assists.

The Blue Demons are just 2-for-8 from the three-point line. However, their paint presence is leading the offense. The Blue Demons are either scoring in the paint or getting sent to the free-throw line. The Blue Demons are up to 10 paint points and seven free throws to account for 17 of their 23 points.

On defense, DePaul has three steals (Maclin has two and Blocker has one) and two blocks (Benson and Smith). Chicago State has only scored 10 points in about 11 minutes of play.

The Blue Demons have scored eight points in the paint and have knocked down five free throws to lead by nine. While DePaul is missing shots in the paint, the Blue Demons are getting fouled and sent to the free-throw line.

Jeremy Lorenz

RJ Smith

Théo Pierre-Justin

These are the first three substitutions for the Blue Demons.

The Blue Demons got another three-pointer, but from Maclin. Maclin has two steals. DePaul is 3-for-8 from the field so far. Chicago State has gotten its offense going with a three-pointer and a bucket in the paint.

With a three-pointer and a layup, Gunn has the first five points for the Blue Demons. DePaul has one block (Benson) and one steal (Maclin).

The game starts NOW. The Blue Demons look to start their season 1-0. DePaul is 88-14 in season openers and has won six of the last seven.

G Layden Blocker

G Brandon Maclin

G CJ Gunn

F Kaleb Banks

F NJ Benson

This is the group that started against Loyola Chicago.

• This is DePaul’s 103 recognized season.
• DePaul was selected ninth in the Big East’s preseason poll. This is the team’s highest selection since they were picked eighth in 2015-16.
• CJ Gunn earned preseason all-conference honors. This was last done in 2020 by Charlie Moore.
• Gunn, DePaul’s leading scorer last season, is the first leading scorer to return since Moore in 2020. DePaul is the only Big East team to return its leading scorer from the 2024-25 season.
• NJ Benson (14 points) led the team in scoring in the exhibition against Notre Dame. RJ Smith (18 points) led the team in the exhibition against Loyola Chicago.
• Kruz McClure did not play against Loyola Chicago because of a “lower body injury.” He played against Notre Dame.

DePaul men’s basketball announced today that it will wear a “MM” patch on its jerseys in honor of Malik Murray. Murray passed away at the age of 50, “of an apparent heart attack.” In 2023, Murray became a part of DePaul’s Board of Trustees. He was on the Finance and Investment Committee and also co-vice chair of the Athletics Committee. Murray played basketball for the Blue Demons under Joey Meyer from 1992 to 1996. He was a four-year letterwinner.