Early-season runaways can offer lots to like, but “what you don’t want to do is create bad habits,” DePaul coach Chris Holtmann cautions.
After rolling past Chicago State on Monday behind what Holtmann called some terrific sequences, the Blue Demons will host Stonehill on Friday with an eye on staying dedicated and disciplined.
Cultivating their depth would be a bonus, too.
While NJ Benson registered 16 points and 10 rebounds while Layden Blocker added 16 points in the Blue Demons’ 92-62 rout of Chicago State, several of DePaul’s reserves seized their own chances to shine.
DePaul (1-0) got an encouraging performance from sophomore forward Theo Pierre-Justin, who had a career-best 12 points off the bench to go with five rebounds.
Pierre-Justin logged 14 minutes, a notable bump from his average of 6.2 per game in his debut season.
“Energy. I bring the energy,” Pierre-Justin said. “I think that’s the most important thing and the first thing that I think about when I’m on the court. Just bring the energy and bring more intensity.”
Don’t forget a smooth stroke. Pierre Justin shot 5-for-7 on Monday, including makes on both of his attempts from 3-point range.
“Theo’s put in a lot of work,” Holtmann said. “He’s got a lot of confidence in his shooting right now. His shooting numbers in practice kind of confirm that. We love how he’s playing and certainly love how he’s developed.”
Bench scoring also buoyed Stonehill in its season opener, a 100-48 romp against NCAA Division III Thomas College of Maine on Monday in Easton, Mass.
With Pearse McGuinn’s career-high 19 points leading the way, the Skyhawks (1-0) benefited from 55 points from their reserves.
Holy Cross transfer William Batchelder could prove a matchup problem from the outside. He went 4-for-4 from deep to tally 15 points in his first game with Stonehill, which completed its transition to Division I ahead of this season.
“I think we’re in a really good spot and I really like the direction that we’re going, but it’s a group that is trying to form a new identity,” Skyhawks coach Chris Kraus said. “Learning how to play together with all the new guys, but they’re competing and really taking some positive steps forward.”
