NJ Benson scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as host DePaul rolled to a 92-62 season-opening victory over Chicago State on Monday night in Chicago.
Layden Blocker also scored 16 and CJ Gunn added 12 points. Both joined Benson as the three key returners for the Blue Demons, who made half of their 60 field-goal attempts and recorded 21 assists. Theo Pierre-Justin scored 12 for DePaul, which led 46-21 at halftime and never trailed any point on the night.
After going 14-20 — one more victory than the previous two campaigns combined — and winning a Big East tournament game during Chris Holtmann’s first season as coach in 2024-25, DePaul is poised to be even better this go-around.
The team got off to a strong start on that quest Monday.
The Blue Demons set the pace early with Gunn scoring the first five points of the night. A 3-pointer by Doyel Cockrill III got Chicago State within 8-6, then the Blue Demons scored seven in a row.
An 8-0 surge later in the first half gave DePaul a 25-10 lead. Pierre-Justin knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers and recorded a layup to score the final eight points before the break.
The Blue Demons scored 16 points off 12 Chicago State turnovers in the first half to build that 25-point halftime lead. The Cougars went just 8-for-25 from the field in the first 20 minutes.
DePaul then scored the first four points of the second half, beginning with two free throws from Blocker. Benson followed with the second of his four dunks on the evening.
Benson also posted two blocked shots in the contest.
Chicago State, which traveled roughly 11 miles north to the South Loop for this matchup, got 16 points apiece from Stephen Byard and Marcus Tankersley. The Cougars, who shot 37.5% for the game and went 4 of 16 from 3-point range, are 0-18 all time against the Blue Demons.
Cockrill finished with 10 points.
