Kruz McClure scored 18 points and Koree Cotton added 15 as DePaul snapped a four-game head-to-head losing streak against Northwestern with a 67-47 nonconference victory on Friday in Evanston, Ill.
DePaul (4-0) shot just 35.6% from the field and 31.4% on 3-point attempts but rolled to its first win over Northwestern since 2019 by grabbing 19 offensive rebounds, blocking 11 shots and forcing 14 turnovers. Magoon Gwath and Layden Blocker swatted three shots apiece.
Jake West paced Northwestern (3-1) with 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting, but the rest of the team went 9-for-36 from the field. The Wildcats were outrebounded 45-28 as they trailed in a game for the first time this season.
DePaul seized control on its first two possessions of the second half. After Ade Popoola swished in a 3-pointer, Cotton banked in a trey from the midcourt logo to beat the shot clock and give the Blue Demons the game’s first double-digit lead at 33-23.
The Blue Demons extended the edge to 45-28 at the 12:41 mark when Kahmare Holmes cashed a 3-pointer in front of the DePaul bench, then stole the ball and hit two free throws.
West tried to will the Wildcats back into the game. He scored 11 of his team’s 13 points over the next six minutes, capped by a 17-foot stepback jumper to pull Northwestern within 52-41 with 7:17 to go.
However, the Wildcats would get no closer. Blocker stole the ball to set up two free throws, then McClure flushed a 3-pointer and a layup to restore DePaul’s lead to 18.
The Blue Demons led much of the first half and carried a 27-23 lead into the break despite shooting 4-for-21 from 3-point range. Gwath closed the half with a layup and a 3-pointer.
Northwestern took one of its few first-half leads when Phoenix Gill swished a 3-pointer for a 14-12 edge at the 8:11 mark, but Popoola answered with a 3-pointer as the Wildcats’ Jack Karasinski committed a flagrant foul battling for position under the boards.
Cotton hit 1 of 2 free throws, and then McClure spun in the lane for a lefty flip to complete DePaul’s six-point possession, creating an 18-14 lead.
–Field Level Media
