DePaul Falls to Butler

Wednesday, January 16

Wintrust Arena

7:30 P.M. CT

DePaul University

10-6, 2-3

Butler

11-7, 2-3

Butler

DePaul

1/16/2019 10:50:00 PM | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes Photo Gallery

Blue Demons go cold in second half in loss on Wednesday night

CHICAGO - The Blue Demons got a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double from Paul Reed, but a large Butler run early in the second half would prove to be the difference as DePaul fell to the Bulldogs, 87-69, Wednesday night at Wintrust Arena.

Femi Olujobi led the Blue Demons (10-6, 2-3 BIG EAST) in points for the second straight game with 23 while Max Strus added 12 points and four rebounds.

Three-point shooting proved to be a big storyline on the game as DePaul struggled, shooting
.333 (7-21) from behind the arc while the Bulldogs finished with a mark of .464 (13-28).

DePaul came out of the gates scorching hot, as four early points from Olujobi helped the Blue Demons to a 10-2 lead less than three minutes into the action. The host would keep the pressure on and with 9:43 to go in the half as Strus converted a jump shot to give DePaul its first double-digit lead of the game at 21-11.

Butler (11-7, 2-3 BIG EAST) would come back to take a 32-30 lead, but DePaul responded, using a difficult lay up from Eli Cain with just five seconds left on the clock to send themselves into the intermission in front at 40-36.

Out of the break it was all about the long ball as the Bulldogs caught fire from behind the arc, making three straight three-pointers to move in front at 55-47 less than five minutes into the second half.

The Blue Demons made one final run, but would not get closer than nine points over the final five minutes.

Jordan Tucker led Butler with 19 points while Sean McDermott and Kamar Baldwin added 17 points apiece.

The Blue Demons are on the road for their next three games as they kick off the stretch with a trip to Seton Hall this Saturday for an 8 p.m. ET start. The game can be seen on FS1 and heard on WIND (560 AM).