Layden Blocker’s Clutch Shot Leads DePaul to 82-80 Victory Over South Florida
DePaul men’s basketball secured an 82-80 victory over South Florida on Thursday evening at Wintrust Arena, led by Layden Blocker’s game-winning pull-up jumper with 53 seconds remaining. The win brings the Blue Demons to a 2-0 record to start the season, surviving a wire-to-wire contest that saw a 19-point lead nearly vanish in the second half.
Wintrust Arena Hosts Tight Season-Opening Thriller
The home crowd at Wintrust Arena watched the Blue Demons open the game with a stifling defense that held South Florida to just one field goal out of nine attempts early on, establishing a 10-2 advantage. DePaul capitalized from beyond the arc, hitting five of their first six three-point attempts with contributions from four different players to push the lead to 26-12.
South Florida fought back before the break with a 7-0 run to narrow the deficit to 34-28. DePaul answered back before halftime when Kahmare Holmes sank a pair of inside baskets, the final one coming with just two seconds left on the clock to give the hosts a 50-35 edge at the intermission.
The momentum continued into the second half as Ade Popoola and Koree Cotton both connected from three-point range, extending the margin to 56-37—the largest lead of the night for DePaul. South Florida mounted a heavy counter-offensive, rattling off seven consecutive made field goals and stringing together an 11-2 run late in the game to pull within 80-78 with 1:40 left on the clock.
Blocker answered the pressure with his decisive pull-up jumper with 53 seconds remaining. South Florida scored again on the subsequent possession, but Popoola secured the defensive rebound off the Bulls’ final missed shot at the buzzer to preserve the win.
Kruz McClure Leads DePaul Offense with Eighteen Points
Kruz McClure paced the DePaul offense with a team-best 18 points, sinking three-pointers and converting nine free throws. Noah Meeusen added 13 points, while Popoola contributed 12 and Holmes chipped in 11. Meeusen also directed the floor with seven assists and zero turnovers, adding three rebounds, a steal, and a block to his stat line. Fabián Flores grabbed a team-high six rebounds for the Blue Demons.
For South Florida, which fell to 1-1, Garrett Johnson led the Bulls with 26 points, shooting 8-of-13 from beyond the three-point line. The Blue Demons’ bench ultimately outscored the visitors 36-8.
The contest marked the 75th all-time victory for the program at Wintrust Arena. DePaul finished the night with 14 total three-pointers, tying for the seventh-most in a single game in team history. Meeusen’s steady handling made him the first Blue Demon to record back-to-back games with seven or more assists and one or fewer turnovers since Javon Freeman-Liberty achieved the feat in November 2021.
Upcoming Matchup Against Alabama a&M
DePaul wraps up its opening three-game home stretch on Monday, Nov. 9, hosting Alabama A&M at Wintrust Arena. The contest is scheduled for an 8 p.m. tip and will air on truTV as part of the university’s annual Salute to Service event.