NEWARK, N.J. — DePaul delivered a composed second-half performance Wednesday night, pulling away from Seton Hall for a 69-57 Big East victory behind a standout effort from NJ Benson.
Benson led all scorers with 21 points and added eight rebounds, setting the tone physically on both ends of the floor. The Blue Demons improved to 14-12 overall and 6-9 in conference play with the win.
CJ Gunn provided a strong all-around contribution, finishing with 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals. He connected on three shots from beyond the arc and was efficient at the free-throw line, knocking down five of six attempts. Layden Blocker chipped in 12 points, converting seven of eight from the stripe to help DePaul maintain control late.
Despite trailing 35-33 at halftime, DePaul found another gear after the break. Benson poured in 14 of his 21 points in the opening half to keep the Blue Demons within striking distance. In the closing minutes, Gunn sealed the outcome by scoring the final six points of the contest, pushing the margin to double digits.
Seton Hall (18-9, 8-8 Big East) was led by Adam Clark’s 19 points and five assists. A.J. Staton-McCray chipped in 13 points and four steals, while TJ Simpkins contributed 12 points. However, the Pirates struggled to consistently defend and failed to generate enough production from the perimeter to keep pace down the stretch.
As the postseason picture begins to take shape, Seton Hall will need to tighten its defense and find greater efficiency from the outside if it hopes to strengthen its case for an NCAA Tournament bid.
DePaul, meanwhile, walked out of Newark with a decisive road win and momentum as conference play continues.
