Layden Blocker scored 20 points to lead five DePaul players in double figures as the Blue Demons broke away in the second half for an 84-47 nonconference victory over Alabama A&M on Monday in Chicago.
Kahmare Holmes (15 points, six rebounds) and Koree Cotton (13 points, six rebounds) played key roles off the bench for the Blue Demons (3-0), who shot 13-for-31 (41.9%) from 3-point range and handed out 21 assists on 25 baskets.
Ade Popoola notched 13 points and Fabian Flores added 10 points for DePaul, which played without starting guard Noah Meeusen (12.0 points, 7.5 assists per game) due to a sprained ankle.
Seventh-year forward James Graham III scored 18 points in his season debut to pace Alabama A&M (2-1), which played its first game against a Division I team this season. Stephaun Walker added 11 points and eight rebounds while Sami Pissis posted 10 points. The Bulldogs made just 5 of 24 attempts (20.8%) from long range.
Both teams struggled out of the gate. DePaul missed 10 of its first 11 shots while Alabama A&M missed seven of its first nine to produce a 5-5 tie 5 1/2 minutes in. The Bulldogs’ early slump eventually reached 2-for-14.
Cotton and Holmes sank back-to-back 3-pointers to give DePaul an 11-5 lead at the 12:18 mark. Kruz McClure followed with a lefty scoop to cap an 8-0 burst.
However, the Blue Demons struggled to shed the Bulldogs as Graham drilled a 3-pointer, canned a 16-foot fadeaway to begin a three-point play and sank a fastbreak layup to pull Alabama A&M within 20-15 with 8:11 left in the half.
DePaul gradually pulled away to take a 37-27 halftime lead after the 7-foot-2 Flores threw down alley-oop passes from Blocker and Holmes and hit a jump hook in the final 5:23.
The Blue Demons broke it open with 11 points in the opening 3:06 of the second half. Popoola and Cotton canned 3-pointers, Cotton fed Flores for a layup and Popoola sank another 3-pointer to build a 48-30 lead and force the Bulldogs to take a timeout.
As Alabama A&M continued to miss from 3-point range, DePaul extended its run to 13-0 as Cotton hit a 3-pointer and Blocker converted two free throws to make it 53-30 with 14:50 to go.
