DePaul basketball had a near-date with destiny Tuesday night, almost upsetting the #7-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles in overtime. However, things didn’t work out, and the Blue Demons lost 83-85.
DePaul basketball was led by C.J. Gunn who scored 21 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 9-21 (42.9%) from the field and 3-10 (30%) from beyond the arc.
This was his second consecutive 7 rebound game after their recent loss to Xavier (63-77).
For Marquette, they were led by David Joplin, who scored 30 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He accomplished this while shooting 9-17 (52.9%) overall and 7-13 (53.8%) from downtown.
Here are three key takeaways from this defeat.
Takeaway #1: Isaiah Rivera
Rivera has been quiet for DePaul basketball lately. In previous losses to Seton Hall (in overtime) and Xavier, he scored only 3 points in each game.
Against Marquette, in one of the biggest games of the season, he scored 20 points, with 12 points in overtime alone. The last time he scored over 20 points was in the first game of the season against Southern Indiana (25 points).
Against Marquette, Rivera recorded 20 points and 7 rebounds. He accomplished this while shooting 7-10 (70%) from the field and 6-8 (75%) from long range. This included a clutch corner three despite having multiple defenders surrounding him.
He looked automatic from downtown and was compared to NBA Hall of Famer and former UConn Huskie guard Ray Allen by Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart.
When asked what he thought as he sank those threes, Rivera said his focus was on winning and doing whatever he could.
“I just wanted to win,” Rivera said. “Just do anything to help the team win. That’s really where my head was.”
Takeaway #2: David Joplin and forcing turnovers
Joplin was the biggest scoring threat for the Golden Eagles. No matter where he got the ball, especially from beyond the arc, he made DePaul basketball pay for giving him space. His 30-point performance is a season-high for the senior.
His 2 steals and 2 blocks were major contributors in forcing turnovers from the home team.
The Blue Demons committed 16 turnovers to Marquette’s 6. The visitors, especially both David Joplin and Ben Gold, made DePaul pay for those costly mistakes.
Gold scored 14 points while shooting 5-8 (62.5%) from the field and 4-7 (57.1%) from beyond the arc.
Takeaway #3: DePaul basketball is on the cusp of that elusive conference win
This is the Blue Demons’ third straight overtime loss in conference matchups. They remained competitive in all of their overtime games, including their first win of the season over Southern Indiana (80-78). However, in this game, DePaul basketball fought back in overtime and didn’t allow their opponents to maintain control of the outcome.
Several key players were involved. Besides Gunn, Conor Enright should be highlighted. He recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 assists in the defeat.
This team was also a force inside, outscoring the Golden Eagles in the paint 38-30 while outrebounding them 46-31.
Smart even said it himself when he was talking with his players a few days before the game that DePaul would beat someone soon and get their first conference win.
“I think Holt’s (Chris Holtmann) doing a phenomenal job,” Smart said in the postgame press conference. “I mean, first of all, you got every guy on the team is a new guy, and those guys played really connected tonight. I believe this was their third overtime game of Big East play and I told the guys, the last couple of days I said ‘DePaul’s going to beat somebody soon and don’t think we’re above that being us.’ And it nearly was tonight.”
When a coach of one of the best teams in college basketball today says this team is going to beat somebody, that is an encouraging sign to the fans. This team is nearly there and last night almost was that time.
DePaul basketball head coach Chris Holtmann said it himself: That win is coming.
“I hate this for our fans,” Holtmann said. “I’m just telling you, this thing is going to get flipped. I guarantee it. I guarantee it. This thing is going to get turned. I promise you, I promise you. Might be in the time that it might not be as quickly as all of us want, but it’s going to get turned.”
That elusive win is coming for DePaul basketball, sooner than people think.
Next up for DePaul (9-9, 0-7): at Georgetown (12-5, 3-3) – Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST)
Next up for #7 Marquette (15-2, 6-0): vs. Xavier (11-7, 3-4) – Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. CST (2 p.m. EST)