CHICAGO, IL — DePaul rode a standout performance from CJ Gunn on Friday night, using a decisive second-half surge to knock off Marquette 80–75 in Big East play.
Gunn poured in a game-high 31 points to go along with seven rebounds, leading the Blue Demons to their 11th win of the season and a 3–4 mark in conference action. His scoring punch proved especially important after halftime, when DePaul flipped the momentum with a dominant run.
N.J. Benson provided efficient support, scoring 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds. Brandon Maclin added 12 points, knocking down five field goals and contributing on both ends of the floor.
The game turned early in the second half when DePaul ripped off a 14–0 run, transforming a deficit into a 50–44 advantage less than three minutes after the break. Gunn accounted for 12 of his points after halftime, repeatedly attacking the defense to keep the Blue Demons in control down the stretch.
Marquette battled throughout but could not fully recover from the run. Nigel James Jr. paced the Golden Eagles with 18 points, eight assists, and two steals, while Royce Parham added 14 points. Chase Ross chipped in 13 points along with four assists and two steals.
DePaul scored 14 unanswered points at the beginning of the 2nd half. They were up 50-44 and never trailed for the remainder of the game.
Despite a late push from Marquette, DePaul maintained its edge at the free-throw line and with timely baskets to close out the five-point victory on its home floor.
Both teams were effective from beyond the arc, with DePaul knocking down 46 percent of its 3-point attempts and Marquette connecting at a 41 percent clip. Free throws, however, were a different story, as both sides struggled at the line — DePaul converted just 54 percent, while Marquette managed only 38 percent.
