DePaul University
Miami (Ohio)
DePaul Tops Miami 83-66 Thursday night at Wintrust Arena
12/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - Led by four players in double figures, DePaul knocked off Miami 83-66 Thursday night at Wintrust Arena.
Marin Maric led the Blue Demons with 22 points and three steals and Max Strus finished with 21 points, four assists and four steals. Eli Cain contributed 19 points while Tre'Darius McCallum finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
DePaul (7-5) fell behind 17-12 midway through the first half, but a 14-0 run, spurred by a defensive stretch that saw the Blue Demons hold the RedHawks without a basket for six minutes and 24 seconds lifted DePaul to a 26-17 lead.
The Blue Demons didn't stop there. When Strus got hot, there was no stopping him. The junior guard's sequence started with a three-point play and led to DePaul's first lead of the game when a one of his steals turned into an easy lay in.
A Strus three-pointer at the buzzer closed out the first half giving DePaul a 35-26 lead. Strus finished the first 20 minutes with 16 points and three steals.
Coming out of the break, back-to-back three-pointers from Maric and Cain put DePaul up 46-35 as Cain registered double figures.
A 9-0 run gave the Blue Demons a 56-39 lead in the middle of the second half and the momentum continued as the home team racked up eight consecutive baskets.
The RedHawks cut DePaul's lead to seven points with 7:36 to go in the game, but Miami would not get any closer. That's when the Blue Demons answered with a 10-0 run and stretched their lead to as much as 18 with 3:45 remaining.
DePaul's next matchup will kick off the BIG EAST Conference season when coach Dave Leitao's team hosts No. 1/1 Villanova on December 27 with a 6:30pm tip.
Postgame Notes
- DePaul finishes the non-conference portion of the regular-season schedule at 7-5... the Blue Demons are 5-2 at Wintrust Arena and 5-1 in the month of December.
- At least four Blue Demons finished in double-figures for the ninth time in 12 games this season.
- Eli Cain's 19 points give him 965 points in his career... he is tied with Jamee Crockett (2011-15) for 53rd on DePaul's all-time scoring list.
- Marin Maric's 22 points and Max Strus' 21 points mark the first time this season with at least two players with 20-plus points in a game... it's the first occasion since Feb. 25, 2017 with two with at least 20 points... Billy Garrett Jr. scored 26 and Eli Cain scored 21 against Seton Hall in that game.
- Maric's 22 points matched his season high set against Oregon on Nov. 24... his career high is 25 points while playing for Northern Illinois on Nov. 11, 2016 against Indiana State.
- Tre'Darius McCallum recorded his 25th career game in double-figures.
- DePaul leads the series, 5-3... Thursday was the first meeting between the two programs since December 1960... the Blue Demons are 81-35 against Mid-American Conference teams.
