This Friday, DePaul basketball takes on the Valparaiso Beacons. Both teams are coming off of wins against the same school.
This game against the Beacons will be the last of the seven-game homestand for the Blue Demons.
On Friday, Nov. 29, this upcoming DePaul basketball matchup will tip off at 12:30 p.m. CST (1:30 p.m. EST).
The Blue Demons are looking to extend their winning streak to seven games. The last time the program won at least seven games in-a-row to start the season was in the 2019-2020 season under former head coach Dave Leitao, during that season they started 9-0.
This will be the second time DePaul basketball will take on the Beacons in school history. The last time these two squared off was in 2021. In that matchup, the Blue Demons defeated their opponents 77-58 at Wintrust Arena.
General Information:
Teams: DePaul (6-0) and Valparaiso (4-2)
Tip-Off: 12:30 p.m. CST (1:30 p.m. EST)
Where to Watch: FS1
Tune In: Radio DePaul Sports & Entertainment (RDSE)
What to know about Valparaiso:
The Beacons are riding a winning streak of their own. Winning their last three games, including their recent matchup with the Northern Illinois Huskies by a score of 87-82. The Beacons current record is 4-2, which puts them tied for fourth in the standings for the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) with Murray State. This also puts them behind the Belmont Bruins (5-2), Bradley Braves (6-1) and Drake Bulldogs (6-0).
Valparaiso basketball won their game despite having a worse overall and three-point shooting percentage than their opponents. Overall, the team shot 23-59 (39%) and a poor 6-21 (28.6%) from beyond the arc. Their opponents shot 22-55 (45.5%) from the field and 10-22 (45.5%) from long range.
The leading scorer for the Beacons was sophomore forward Cooper Schwieger, who scored 17 points while tallying 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. Overall, he shot 4-9 (44.4%) and 2-4 (50%) from beyond the arc. Another key player is senior forward Tyler Schmidt, who scored 17 points off the bench while getting 3 rebounds while shooting 5-9 (55.5%) from the field.
The Beacons capitalized off of many turnovers from the Huskies, scoring 24 points off of turnovers compared to their opponents’ six.
What to know about DePaul basketball:
DePaul basketball also comes off a win against Northern Illinois the previous week, defeating their opponents 98-52.
Sophomore guard Layden Blocker made his return to action after missing the previous game due to a thigh contusion. In his return, he scored a team-leading 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds, nearly getting himself a double-double. He shot 8-13 (61.5%) from the field and 3-5 (60%) from long distance shots.
Redshirt junior guard Conor Enright scored a season-high 13 points against the Huskies. He also tallied seven rebounds and four assists while being the best shooter of the night. Against the Beacons, Enright shot 5-6 (83.3%) overall and a perfect 3-3 (100%) from beyond the three-point line.
DePaul basketball was red hot in terms of shooting. Overall, the Blue Demons shot 36-66 (54.5%) against the Huskies. Meanwhile from the three, they shot 15-29 (51.7%). Their perimeter defense was a strong front against their opponents, only allowing 6-29 (20.7%) from beyond the arc.
DePaul basketball currently has a 6-0 record, one of two Big East Conference teams to have an undefeated record. They are second in the conference behind the #10 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles (7-0).