Field Level Media
Dec 12, 2018
Max Strus scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and host DePaul coasted to a 104-70 win over Chicago State on Wednesday night in Chicago.
Eli Cain finished with 17 points and 11 assists for DePaul (6-2), which is unbeaten in six home games this season. That marks the Blue Demons' best home start since the 2006-07 campaign.
Delshon Strickland scored 25 points to lead Chicago State (3-9). Travon Bell contributed 14 points off the bench, while Rob Shaw had seven points to go along with six assists and five rebounds.
DePaul head coach Dave Leitao and Chicago State head coach Lance Irvin both were ejected in the final minute after a dispute that began with Leitao exchanging words with Strickland along the sideline. Play was stopped for several minutes as the coaches walked off opposite ends of the court.
Besides Strus and Cain, three other Blue Demons players scored in double digits including Jalen Coleman-Lands (13), Femi Olujobi (12) and Devin Gage (10).
The Blue Demons led by 20-plus points for the bulk of the second half. Strus provided a highlight-reel play when he blocked a shot, raced down the court for a fastbreak layup and sank a free throw to complete a three-point play.
A 3-pointer by Cain ballooned DePaul's lead to 30 points with 9:40 remaining in the second half.
DePaul built a 49-30 advantage at the break.
Chicago State started well and trailed by only one point more than eight minutes into the first half. Shaw and Strickland each drained a 3-pointer in the early going.
DePaul pulled away in the final 10 minutes of the first half, closing the session on a 32-14 run. The outburst included one stretch in which the Blue Demons scored 11 straight points and two stretches in which they scored seven straight.
Strus made a 3-pointer with two seconds left before the half. He finished 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, with his third shot from long distance giving him 100 career 3-pointers. He is the 21st player in school history to reach that milestone.
DePaul will host Illinois-Chicago on Friday to wrap up three straight games against programs from Chicago. Meanwhile, Chicago State is off until Monday, when it will make a short bus ride to visit Northwestern.
--Field Level Media