Chicago, IL – DePaul survived an aggressive second half comeback by South Florida on Thursday night at Wintrust Arena holding on for an 82-80 non-conference home win. The Blue Demons established control early carrying a 50-35 advantage into halftime before extending their lead to 19 points early in the second half. USF responded by outscoring DePaul 45-32 over the final stage, but timely offensive contributions proved enough to secure the victory.
DePaul’s sophomore guard Kruz McClure led the Blue Demons with 18 points in 29 minutes of action off the bench. The 6’6 Westerville, OH native connected on 3-of-8 attempts from beyond the arc while converting on 9-of-10 free throws. McClure demonstrated toughness attacking the basket and crashing the glass while drawing multiple fouls through his activity. He also displayed sound defensive instincts with on-ball pressure and in denial and help positions.
Fellow DePaul fifth year 6’5 guard Ade Popoola provided a significant perimeter scoring presence finishing with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting from three-point land. Popoola deems as a catch-and-shoot threat, knocking down face up jumpers in spot up situations and while coming off screens away from the ball. His floor spacing ability helped DePaul establish its early offensive advantage.
Junior guard Noah Meeusen delivered one of the most efficient all-around performances of the night recording 13 points, seven assists, and three rebounds in 36 minutes in work. The 6’5 Belgium floor general shot 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point land while committing zero turnovers. Meeusen demonstrated strong court vision and showed ability to see the floor well within DePaul’s half-court offense. His perimeter shooting complemented playmaking skills while his seven assists led the Blue Demons who finished with 19 assists as a team on 28 made field goals.
The big men for DePaul, 7’0, 221-pound senior forward Magoon Gwath and 7’2, 280-pound junior center Fabian Flores provided value throughout the contest around the basket. Gwath contributed seven points on 3-of-6 shooting in only 11 minutes of play due to foul trouble. The lengthy forward showcased his defensive upside with two early blocked shots while utilizing length to his advantage. Offensively he displayed patience on the catch and finished a dunk following a screen and roll. The man in the middle from Spain added seven points, six rebounds, and two assists in 22 minutes of work. Flores provided fundamental footwork operating in the low post while utilizing soft touch on a baby hook shot. He also finished a dunk rolling to the rim and contributed on the glass with multiple offensive tip outs to extend possessions. Defensively, his length helped secure rebounds and agitate driver’s shot attempts at the rim.
For South Florida, their comeback was fueled by 6’8, 220-pound junior forward Garrett Johnson who scored a game-high 26 points while shooting 8-of-13 from beyond the arc. His 7 three pointers in the second half were 1 make shy of tying USF’s single half 3-point record of 8 set by Wes Enis 10 months ago. Johnson’s perimeter shooting became rhythmic in the second half as he dialed in on both catch and shoot opportunities and step back threes.
6’1 senior guard Sonny Wilson orchestrated the Bulls’ offense for a double-double finishing with 16 points and a game-high 10 assists. Competing for the full 40 minutes he only committed one turnover. The quick twitch Michigan native demonstrated excellent change of pace while repeatedly penetrating the paint and converting on runners and floaters over taller defenders. Wilson’s playmaking created numerous perimeter opportunities while his late driving layup brought South Florida to reach within two points with six seconds remaining.
USF’s other back court guard in 6’5 sophomore Chris Davis Jr. provided more offensive value in the second half surge. Davis contributed 17 points and five rebounds on 7-of-15 shooting. He consistently attacked the basket at the right times utilizing baseline drives and finishing over Depaul’s interior anchors. Despite struggling from beyond the arc, his aggressive downhill approach helped USF generate 38 points in the paint.
This article was written by Michael Schneiderman of NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.
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