Smokin'-Hot Start Propels DePaul Past Providence 88-67 on Sunday

Sunday, February 6

Chicago, Ill.

2:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

19-6,11-3Big East

Providence

9-13,4-9Big East

Providence

DePaul

Smokin'-Hot Start Propels DePaul Past Providence 88-67 on Sunday

2/6/2022 5:07:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

DePaul's 36-point first quarter second-highest scoring quarter of this season

CHICAGO – Heading into the stretch run of the BIG EAST playoff race, every win seems more vital than, let's say, back in November at the Paradise Jam.

That being said, the Blue Demons put on a show Sunday with an 88-67 victory over Providence at Wintrust Arena.

The lead role in this matinee production belonged to Deja Church with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

A five-star supporting cast featured Darrione Rogers with 18 points and eight rebounds, Aneesah Morrow (15 points, 14 rebounds) with her 17th consecutive double-double, Kendall Holmes' season-high 14 points, point guard Lexi Held (10 points, nine assists) and Sonya Morris (nine points on 4-of-5 shooting).

DePaul (19-6, 11-3 BIG EAST) went 14-of-31 from three-point range (45.2 percent) led by Holmes and Rogers who combined to go 8-of-15.

DePaul came out smokin'-hot hitting five of its first six shots including three-pointers by Church, Rogers and Morris along with a Church three-point play.

That was enough for Providence coach Jim Crowley who quickly burned a timeout with his Friars trailing 14-2 just three minutes after the opening tip.

Where there's smoke, there's fire. That early burst evolved into a 23-2 lead as DePaul answered Providence's lone basket (DePaul led 5-2) with 18 in a row. After baskets by Morris and Morrow, Holmes came off the bench and knocked down three consecutive shots from behind the arc.

That made her team 7-of-10 from distance near the end of the first quarter. The Blue Demons took a 36-11 advantage into the second quarter.

Church and Rogers continued the three-ball assault with Rogers making it 46-17 in the middle of the second quarter. Providence trailed 46-19 at the media timeout. The Blue Demons had "cooled off" a little by then, going 9-of-18 from deep.

Two more Church scores along with buckets from Morrow and Held boosted DePaul to a 54-26 lead. Rogers finished off the first half with---what else---a three-pointer for a 57-31 cushion.

Church had 13 points at the break, Rogers 11, Morrow 10 points and eight rebounds while Holmes had nine points. Held already had eight assists. The home team was 10-of-21 from three-point range after the first 20 minutes.

Remember, this is a Providence team (9-13, 4-9) that only lost by eight points to No. 10/9 Connecticut last week and by a mere two points to BIG EAST contender Marquette on Friday night.

Held and Church opened the second half with baskets and Holmes stayed hot from long distance with another three. Coach Doug Bruno's team had doubled-up Providence 66-33 at the third quarter media timeout. DePaul was 11-of-23 from behind the arc.

Holmes connected once again and that was followed by a Morrow three-pointer. A pair of Rogers free throws and a long Church jumper provided a 76-42 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Morrow scored early in the fourth quarter and Keke Rimmer followed with a steal and breakaway layup putting her team in front 80-44.

DePaul is back in action Friday with a BIG EAST showdown at No. 10/9 Connecticut on Friday.

Postgame Notes

The 36-point first quarter is the second-highest of the season. DePaul scored 37 in the third quarter against Northern Illinois.
Kendall Holmes notched a season-high 14 points and was 4-of-7 from three-point range.
The Blue Demons lead the country in scoring and assists, and have put up 1,664 points in their last 18 games---an average of 92.4 per game. They have reached the century mark eight times to set a new school season record.
The record of six was set in 2014-15 (Brittany Hrynko, Jess January, Chanise Jenkins, Megan Rogowski & Co.) and matched by the 2016-17 team featuring January, Brooke Schulte, Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman.
Morrow came into the game leading the nation in double-doubles, rebounds, rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game and was second in field goals, third in points and eighth in steals. She now has 17 consecutive double-doubles and 20 on the season.
The 6-1 freshman has 175 points and 115 rebounds in her last seven games---an average of 25 points and 16.4 rebounds.
Morris came into the game third in the nation in field goals and ninth in points while Held was sixth in assists.
Morris is now No. 16 on the all-time scoring list with 1,570 points. Mfon Udoka (1,569) is No. 17 and Melanie Ehrhardt (1,552) is No. 18. Jessica January (1,530) is No. 19. Held (1,508) is No. 20. Keisha Hampton (1,574) is No. 15. Debra Robinson is No. 14 with 1,592 points.
Dee Bekelja has played in 137 games, tying Brooke Schulte and Chante Stonewall for fourth all-time. Ashton Millender holds the record with 144 games.
The Blue Demons are 3-5 against seven NCAA tournament teams---beating then No. 14/14 Kentucky, Northwestern and Rutgers and falling to then-No. 23/17 Texas A&M, No. 4/8 Arizona, No. 20/17 Notre Dame, Marquette and No. 10/9 UConn.
They are 3-1 against Wildcat teams---beating Kentucky, Northwestern and Villanova and falling to Arizona.
Held is the BIG EAST's active career scoring leader in conference games with 903 points.
Morrow has scored in double figures 24 of the first 25 games of her collegiate career.
DePaul is 18-7 outrebounding opponents including Arizona featuring 6-5 Lauren Ware and 6-3 Ariyah Copeland. The Blue Demons outrebounded Providence 41-39 on Sunday.