N.J. Benson notched a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds and CJ Gunn scored 16 points to guide host DePaul to a 74-57 win against skidding Seton Hall on Sunday in Chicago.
Seton Hall (6-16, 1-10 Big East) lost for the seventh straight game, shooting 35 percent compared to 55.3 percent for DePaul (11-12, 2-10).
Isaiah Rivera (14 points) and Jacob Meyer (11) also finished in double figures for DePaul.
The Pirates’ Isaiah Coleman led all scorers with 18 points. David Tubek scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds and Prince Aligbe scored eight points.
Seton Hall struggled to stay afloat with a depleted backcourt. Starting guards Dylan Addae-Wusu (ankle) and Chaunce Jenkins (knee) missed the game with injuries.
The Blue Demons led by as many as 22 points in the second half. The cushion proved to be crucial when the Pirates’ pressure forced turnovers on five straight DePaul possessions later in the half, helping the visitors draw within 13 with 8:22 to go.
An Aligbe dunk midway through the half ended a Pirates scoring drought of 4:44. Meyer swished a pullup 3 on the next possession as the Blue Demons went 9-for-22 from deep. Rivera led the way with a 4-for-6 effort.
Layden Blocker had seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists for DePaul.
DePaul scored the first 12 points of the game, with Conor Enright (five points) and Gunn (four) sparking the early attack.
Seton Hall missed its first seven attempts from the floor, finally getting on the board on a Tubek trey with 14:42 left before the break.
The Pirates never led but whittled the first-half deficit to three behind 11-for-21 shooting following their sluggish start. The Blue Demons regrouped, though, connecting on four of their last five shots to take a 38-29 halftime lead.
Coleman led all scorers with nine points at intermission.
DePaul forward David Skogman missed his second straight game with a foot injury.
Gunn has finished in double figures in eight straight games.
Seton Hall leads the all-time series with DePaul 26-11.
–Field Level Media
