DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
1-0,0-0Big East
Valparaiso
0-1,0-0MVC
Timm's 28 Points Powers DePaul Past Valpo 92-54 in Season Opener
11/4/2025 8:58:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Blue Demons win fifth-straight season opener
CHICAGO -- DePaul women's basketball tipped off the 2025-26 campaign with a commanding 92-54 win over Valparaiso on Tuesday night at Wintrust Arena.
The Blue Demons (1-0) rode a career night from Ally Timm, who poured in a career-high 28 points on 80-percent shooting from long range (8-10 3FG). Sophomore guard Natiah Nelson earned the first double-double of her career with 13 points and 15 rebounds while Kate Novik added 19 points and six assists to pace a balanced DePaul attack that shot 44 percent from beyond the arc as a team.
The victory marked Jill M. Pizzotti's first win as DePaul's permanent head coach, as the Blue Demons captured their fifth-straight season-opening victory and improved to 40-12 all-time in season openers.
Defensively, DePaul's trademark pressure suffocated the Beacons, forcing 35 turnovers and converting them into 27 fast-break points. DePaul outscored Valparaiso 48-20 in the paint and used a dominant second-half surge to pull away for the 38-point win, the program's largest season-opening margin since 2019.
Every Blue Demon that saw action on the court netted at least one basket. DePaul collected 21 steals while limiting Valparaiso to just 18 made field goals.
How It Happened
The Blue Demons jumped out to a 5-0 start before the Beacons briefly took their only lead of the night. DePaul quickly responded with an 8-0 burst capped by back-to-back Timm threes and a Nelson putback. The Blue Demons' full-court press wreaked havoc early, forcing eight first-quarter turnovers and taking a 22-20 advantage after 10 minutes.
DePaul continued to dictate tempo in the second quarter with a 7-0 spurt, highlighted by Timm's third triple of the night. While both teams went cold midway through the frame, Novik's deep three reignited the offense as DePaul carried a 38-32 lead into halftime. Timm paced all scorers with 13 points at the break.
The Blue Demons came out firing to start the third, scoring eight points in the opening minute, including consecutive threes from Timm and a Novik layup to push the lead to double digits. DePaul's defense tightened the screws, holding Valpo to just nine points in the quarter and forcing turnover after turnover to extend the lead to 63-41 heading into the fourth.
Timm continued her torrid pace in the final frame, draining two more threes to push her total to 28 points. Novik followed with a pair of triples of her own as the Blue Demons' lead ballooned to 32. Behind efficient shooting, relentless pressure, and a defense that forced 35 Valparaiso turnovers, DePaul cruised to a 92-54 win, with the largest margin reaching 40 points in the closing minutes.
Up Next
DePaul hits the road to face Mountain West favorite UNLV on Sunday, Nov. 9. Tipoff from Cox Pavilion is set for 4 p.m. CT, streaming live on the Mountain West Network.
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TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets for the 2025-26 DePaul women's basketball season are on sale now, starting at just $115. Season ticket holders receive access to every game at Wintrust Arena and exclusive benefits! Secure your seats today at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets. Group ticket options are also available now for parties of 10 or more, making it easy to bring your team, company or friends to a game. Explore all group ticket options at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Groups.
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