Men's Basketball Set for Chicagoland Matchup

CHICAGO – DePaul men's basketball turns its attention to a Friday night contest at Wintrust Arena as the Blue Demons look to get back on track against Chicagoland foe, Northwestern. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on truTV. Spero Dedes and Greg Anthony have the broadcast call, with Lauren Jbara reporting from the sideline. Zach Zaidman and Dave Corzine will have DePaul's radio broadcast call on Sirius XM and the DePaul Blue Demons App.

Friday also marks the return of DePaul's "City Edition" jerseys, which features light blue accents and several iconic symbols from the City of Chicago flag.

LAST TIME OUT
DePaul took its first loss of the season Tuesday against Buffalo. The Blue Demons overcame a slow start to pull within two points of the Bulls before Buffalo ultimately pulled away. DePaul was led by NJ Benson, who recorded double-digit scoring for the third-straight game with 11 points. He also added eight boards, a block and steal.

Through the first three games of the season, DePaul's defense has not allowed more than 70 points – the first time since the 2019-20 season. The Blue Demons rank top-65 nationally in fewest points allowed and sit third in the BIG EAST behind UConn and Seton Hall. Behind Benson's average of three blocks per game, DePaul also ranks among the nation's top 40 in blocks per game at 5.7.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern enters Friday's game with a 3-0 record that includes a 110-63 victory Monday against Cleveland State. The Wildcats are led by last year's Big Ten leading scorer, Nick Martinelli, who is averaging 19.3 points and seven rebounds while shooting 58.8 percent from the field. Northwestern welcomed eight newcomers this season, including 6-11 Cincinnati transfer Arrinten Page, who leads the Wildcats with 9.3 rebounds in addition to 14 points per game.

Northwestern is coached by Chris Collins, now in his 13th season at the helm. The Wildcats rank among the nation's top 15 in assist-to-turnover ratio, fewest fouls per game and fewest fouls allowed.

THE SERIES
Separated by less than 11 miles, DePaul and Northwestern meet for the 39th time Friday. DePaul leads the all-time series 21-17 and holds a 15-4 record at home against the Cats. Northwestern comes in with wins in seven of the last eight meetings in the series. This year's matchup is the earliest the two programs have met in a season since 2006.

UP NEXT
DePaul continues its six-game homestand to open the season next week Tuesday, Nov. 18 against Gardner-Webb. The game is slated for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.

FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Men's Basketball, please visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.

TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets for the 2025-26 DePaul men's basketball season are on sale now, starting at just $250. Season ticket holders receive access to every game at Wintrust Arena and exclusive benefits! Secure your seats today at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets. Group ticket deposits are also available for parties of 10 or more, perfect for bringing coworkers, teams or friends to a game. Explore all group ticket options at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Groups.

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Players Mentioned

NJ Benson

DePaul University Athletics