DePaul beats Northwestern, ending long losing streak in Evanston
Kruz McClure and Koree Cotton led the Blue Demons to a 67-47 victory, snapping a dry spell that dated back to 2013.
By Samuel Hayes ·
DePaul broke a long winless streak against its crosstown rival by defeating Northwestern 67-47 on Friday night in Evanston. The Blue Demons had not beaten the Wildcats since Dec. 21, 2019, and this marked their first victory in Evanston since Dec. 27, 2013.
Northwestern entered the game having never trailed in its first three contests of the season. DePaul, which improved to 4-0, overcame slow shooting to take control. The Blue Demons shot 36% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc. They held the Wildcats to 31% shooting and 25% from deep.
Kruz McClure led DePaul with 18 points. Koree Cotton added 15 points. Fabian Flores secured eight rebounds. Cotton and Magoon Gwath each grabbed six. Layden Blocker recorded two blocks and two steals. Popoola and Cotton hit consecutive 3-pointers at the start of the second half. That sequence extended DePaul's lead to double digits.
The teams exchanged leads during a low-scoring first half. DePaul led 27-23 at the break. McClure and Cotton each had eight points in that span. The Blue Demons finished with 11 made 3-pointers, marking their third straight game in double figures from long range.
Jake West scored a game-high 20 points for Northwestern, which fell to 3-1. L.A. Pratt contributed 10 points. West has reached the 20-point mark in all four games this season.
DePaul hosts Maryland Eastern on Tuesday. Northwestern plays Columbia at home on Monday.
