DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Marquette
Blue Demons Drop Marquette
2/24/2018 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Feb. 24, 2018
CHICAGO - Playing in front of a raucous Wintrust Arena crowd Saturday afternoon the Blue Demons came back from a nine-point first half deficit in a 70-62 win over visiting Marquette. Max Strus led DePaul with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double while Marin Maric posted his own double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Eli Cain's 14 points and Brandon Cyrus' 13 points joined Maric and Strus in double digits for DePaul while Paul Reed grabbed eight rebounds off the bench.
Andrew Rowsey led Marquette (16-14, 7-9 BIG EAST) with 16 points while Markus Howard and Sam Hauser added 12 and 11 points.
The first half went back and forth with a three-pointer from Tre'Darius McCallum giving DePaul a 14-12 lead with just under 12 minutes on the clock.
DePaul (11-17, 4-12 BIG EAST) built its lead to 19-14, but a 19-9 run from the Golden Eagles put Marquette ahead, 33-28, going into the break.
Out of the intermission, a 7-2 burst from the Blue Demons tied the game at 35-35 with 16:40 to play. Four minutes later Strus' first three-pointer of the game gave DePaul a 44-40 lead.
DePaul would keep its foot on the pedal as Cain threaded a bounce pass to Maric who completed the layup for the first double-digit lead of the game for either team at 50-40 with eight minutes to go.
The story in the second half was the Blue Demon defense as they held the Golden Eagles to 2-of-14 shooting over the first 12 minutes of the second half.
After DePaul built its lead to 10 points, Marquette cut the DePaul advantage in half, pulling within five at 58-53, as a timeout stopped action with 2:36 remaining in the game.
That would be as close as Marquette would get as DePaul led by as many as 10 with 33 seconds left in the game.
Cain added seven rebounds and three assists while Cyrus recorded three rebounds, three assists and two steals. DePaul outrebounded Marquette, 49-30, and held the Golden Eagles to its lowest scoring total of the season.
DePaul returns to action Tuesday as the Blue Demons travel to Omaha for an 8 p.m. tip with Creighton. The game can be seen on FS1 with the radio broadcast on WIND 560 AM.
Postgame Notes
- DePaul put four in double-figures 11th time this season.
- The Blue Demons overcame its largest deficit of the season... DePaul trailed by nine late in the first half... previously, DePaul overcame an eight-point deficit against Michigan State in the PK80.
- Max Strus and Marin Maric both recorded double-doubles for the second time this season... the duo each posted a double-double at St. John's on Jan. 6.
- Eli Cain moved into a tie for 35th place on DePaul all-time scoring list... his 1,147 points are tied with Quentin Richardson (1998-00).
- Brandon Cyrus reached double-figures for the ninth time this season (16th career)... it is the second time in last four games he has scored at least 10 points in game.
- Marin Maric recorded his 70th career game in double-figures (52 at Northern Illinois/18 at DePaul).
- Today was the 122nd meeting between the two programs... Marquette holds a 75-47 advantage in the series... the two teams split the season series.
