Monday, November 30
Wintrust Arena
2:00 P.M. CT
DePaul University
1-1,0-0Big East
128
vs
66
Chicago State
0-2,0-0WAC
1
2
3
4
F
Chicago St.
13
19
15
19
66
DePaul
40
27
30
31
128
It's a Record-Breaking Performance in the South Loop
11/30/2020 7:15:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
No. 20/19 DePaul sets new standard in 128-66 win over Chicago State
CHICAGO – There's nothing quite like erupting for an all-time scoring record while securing your first win of the season.
In the illustrious 46-year history of DePaul women's basketball featuring all kinds of outlandishly talented scorers launching three-pointers at a blistering pace, no one had ever scored 128 points in a 40-minute game until Monday.
That's when six Blue Demons in double figures paved the way for a 128-66 triumph over Chicago State at Wintrust Arena.
The previous all-time mark had been 124 points against Savannah State in 2018.
If only the partisans of Blue Demon Nation could have been there screaming with delight at every one of the 50 shots that passed through the rim. What a spectacle that would have been.
If only they could have raised both arms in the referee's three-point signal as DePaul cashed in 19 times from money-ball land.
Instead, it was life in the virtual world watching the live stream on DePaul All-Access as freshman Kendall Holmes, the pride of Benet Academy, put on a shooting clinic. In only the second game of her career, Holmes scored a game-high 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field including 6-of-8 from Downtown.
DePaul coach Doug Bruno was silently celebrating each Holmes basket, grateful that he and his staff's full-court recruiting press brought the southwest suburban Plainfield native to the South Loop.
Last season's super sophomores, Lexi Held and Sonya Morris, each scored 21 points while BIG EAST Honor Roll awardee Dee Bekelja added 15.
Holmes' fellow freshman Darrione Rogers who will team with Holmes in leading the next wave of Blue Demon difference-makers, had 12 points and senior Deja Church chipped in 11.
The official NCAA stats won't be posted until tomorrow, but there may not be another women's team in the country averaging just about 110 points a game.
This one was decided in midway through the first quarter when Bekelja, Held, Church, Morris and Rogers collaborated on a 21-1 run that established an insurmountable 24-5 lead.
Bekelja continued her torrid start to 2020-21 scoring 12 of DePaul's first 16 points. There's no doubt the shooting guard from Solon, Ohio is playing the best basketball of her career.
Holmes scored five consecutive points while igniting a 10-0 burst near the end of the first quarter. Morris knocked down a three-pointer and Maya Stovall dropped a pair of free throws as the home team shot out to a 40-13 lead after one quarter.
The 40 points tied for third among all-time highest scoring quarters. DePaul put up 40 at Loyola on Dec. 20, 2018 and also in the first quarter versus Alabama State on Dec. 14, 2019.
Bruno cleared his bench early in the second quarter and began shuffling in five players at a time. It was 57-23 at the second quarter media timeout. The advantage grew to 59-23 after a Morris layup.
Held buried three-straight jumpers---the last one from behind the arc---and it was 67-30. That set up a potential history-making moment.
The huge Wintrust Arena scoreboard read 67-32 with the Blue Demons owning the final possession of the first half. The most points this historically offensive juggernaut has ever scored in a half is 69.
Naturally, in the waning seconds of the second quarter, the ball wound up in Bekelja's hands. Hollywood couldn't have scripted it any better. The hottest shooter on the team who just won a BIG EAST weekly accolade was lining up her jumper in the corner.
A Chicago State defender made a run at her. Bekelja deftly avoided the Cougar with one dribble to the left and let it fly. The historic attempt met a bit more iron than net and left the record breaking for another day.
Held had 13 points at the break and Bekelja 11. Church added nine and Morris eight as Bruno's four-guard attack was in high gear. The Blue Demons shot 61 percent from the floor and nearly 59 percent from three-point range. They would finish 60.2 percent from the floor and 63.3 percent from deep.
Held, Bekelja, Morris and Church never let up, sparking a 16-2 run to open the third quarter. Chicago State called timeout with the scoreboard reading 83-34.
It was 97-47 after three quarters, and Holmes' three-pointer at the outset of the fourth quarter reached the century mark. Her jumper followed by another three made it 105-49.
DePaul (1-1) will take its high-scoring show on the road Friday for a much-anticipated national TV showdown against No. 5/5 Louisville in the Women's Jimmy V Classic at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Blue Demons will play their longtime rival at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
Postgame Notes
In the illustrious 46-year history of DePaul women's basketball featuring all kinds of outlandishly talented scorers launching three-pointers at a blistering pace, no one had ever scored 128 points in a 40-minute game until Monday.
That's when six Blue Demons in double figures paved the way for a 128-66 triumph over Chicago State at Wintrust Arena.
The previous all-time mark had been 124 points against Savannah State in 2018.
If only the partisans of Blue Demon Nation could have been there screaming with delight at every one of the 50 shots that passed through the rim. What a spectacle that would have been.
If only they could have raised both arms in the referee's three-point signal as DePaul cashed in 19 times from money-ball land.
Instead, it was life in the virtual world watching the live stream on DePaul All-Access as freshman Kendall Holmes, the pride of Benet Academy, put on a shooting clinic. In only the second game of her career, Holmes scored a game-high 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field including 6-of-8 from Downtown.
DePaul coach Doug Bruno was silently celebrating each Holmes basket, grateful that he and his staff's full-court recruiting press brought the southwest suburban Plainfield native to the South Loop.
Last season's super sophomores, Lexi Held and Sonya Morris, each scored 21 points while BIG EAST Honor Roll awardee Dee Bekelja added 15.
Holmes' fellow freshman Darrione Rogers who will team with Holmes in leading the next wave of Blue Demon difference-makers, had 12 points and senior Deja Church chipped in 11.
The official NCAA stats won't be posted until tomorrow, but there may not be another women's team in the country averaging just about 110 points a game.
This one was decided in midway through the first quarter when Bekelja, Held, Church, Morris and Rogers collaborated on a 21-1 run that established an insurmountable 24-5 lead.
Bekelja continued her torrid start to 2020-21 scoring 12 of DePaul's first 16 points. There's no doubt the shooting guard from Solon, Ohio is playing the best basketball of her career.
Holmes scored five consecutive points while igniting a 10-0 burst near the end of the first quarter. Morris knocked down a three-pointer and Maya Stovall dropped a pair of free throws as the home team shot out to a 40-13 lead after one quarter.
The 40 points tied for third among all-time highest scoring quarters. DePaul put up 40 at Loyola on Dec. 20, 2018 and also in the first quarter versus Alabama State on Dec. 14, 2019.
Bruno cleared his bench early in the second quarter and began shuffling in five players at a time. It was 57-23 at the second quarter media timeout. The advantage grew to 59-23 after a Morris layup.
Held buried three-straight jumpers---the last one from behind the arc---and it was 67-30. That set up a potential history-making moment.
The huge Wintrust Arena scoreboard read 67-32 with the Blue Demons owning the final possession of the first half. The most points this historically offensive juggernaut has ever scored in a half is 69.
Naturally, in the waning seconds of the second quarter, the ball wound up in Bekelja's hands. Hollywood couldn't have scripted it any better. The hottest shooter on the team who just won a BIG EAST weekly accolade was lining up her jumper in the corner.
A Chicago State defender made a run at her. Bekelja deftly avoided the Cougar with one dribble to the left and let it fly. The historic attempt met a bit more iron than net and left the record breaking for another day.
Held had 13 points at the break and Bekelja 11. Church added nine and Morris eight as Bruno's four-guard attack was in high gear. The Blue Demons shot 61 percent from the floor and nearly 59 percent from three-point range. They would finish 60.2 percent from the floor and 63.3 percent from deep.
Held, Bekelja, Morris and Church never let up, sparking a 16-2 run to open the third quarter. Chicago State called timeout with the scoreboard reading 83-34.
It was 97-47 after three quarters, and Holmes' three-pointer at the outset of the fourth quarter reached the century mark. Her jumper followed by another three made it 105-49.
DePaul (1-1) will take its high-scoring show on the road Friday for a much-anticipated national TV showdown against No. 5/5 Louisville in the Women's Jimmy V Classic at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Blue Demons will play their longtime rival at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
Postgame Notes
- The 128 points is an all-time record, surpassing the 124 Bruno & Co. notched against Savanah State on Nov., 26, 2018.
- The 19 three-pointers tied for the second-most in Blue Demon history.
- DePaul converted 50 field goals which is the third-highest in history.
- DePaul's 67-point first half tied for second-highest in program history. The Blue Demons scored 67 in the first half against Alabama State on Dec. 14, 2016. The record is 69 versus UIC on Jan. 13, 1988.
- The 40-point first quarter tied for third among all-time highest scoring quarters. DePaul put up 40 at Loyola in the third quarter on Dec. 20, 2018 and duplicated that in the first quarter versus Alabama State on Dec. 14, 2019.
- Monday's game marked the 15th time in program history that the Blue Demons have scored 109 points or more in a game.
- This was also DeWayne Peevy's first win as the new DePaul athletic director.
- Held added five steals, four rebounds and four assists to her 21 points and was 4-of-5 from deep.
- Nadège Jean had eight points and seven rebounds while Hannah Purcell scored eight. Both were a bucket away from joining the double-figure scoring parade.
- The Blue Demons started the game with a five-guard lineup as Maya Stovall joined Dee Bekelja, Deja Church, Sonya Morris and Lexi Held. It was Stovall's first start of the season.
- Bruno's players competed with facemasks while their opponent went mask-less. It was the same last Saturday against Texas A&M.
Team Stats
CSU
DePaul
FG%
.391
.602
3FG%
.333
.633
FT%
.429
.750
RB
39
41
TO
26
11
STL
6
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
6
FTM
1
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
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