Central Michigan @ DePaul preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 20, 2019 ) Central Michigan 86, DePaul 100

Romeo Weems is living up to his status as a four-star recruit by doing a bit of everything for DePaul, which will look to keep its best start in more than three decades rolling in Tuesday's game against visiting Central Michigan. The freshman is scoring, rebounding, dishing out assists and guarding at an elite level for the Blue Demons, who are expected to roll over the Chippewas.

Weems, a 6-7 forward from Detroit, had his best game yet as DePaul survived another road test at Boston College on Saturday as he registered 17 points and 10 rebounds, and came up with three steals while forcing Boston College's best player - Derryck Thornton - into eight turnovers. "There's not many freshmen his size that can be called on for almost 30, 35 minutes to play the best player on the other team, particularly when he's a point guard and he's really good," Blue Demons coach Dave Leitao told the media of Weems, who spurned powers Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon and Ohio State to play for DePaul. Weems' only blemish to this point is free throw shooting as he has gone to the line only nine times in six games while making five of those attempts. The Chippewas, who lost 82-57 at Minnesota on Thursday in their only true test this season, have played one of the weakest schedules in the country with three matchups against NAIA schools, which produced an average margin of victory of 47.7 points, and three Division I teams that are a combined 5-12.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (5-1): Throw out the games against NAIA teams and Kevin McKay has emerged as one of the team's best players against Division I opposition. The senior has performed well for Central Michigan against Minnesota, Mississippi Valley State and Sam Houston State, which led the Chippewas at halftime, averaging 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists. The 6-5 guard, who has already eclipsed 500 rebounds in his career, needs 70 points to become the 35th 1,000-point scorer for the Chippewas and join teammate David DiLeo, who stands 16th in school history with 1,237 career points.

ABOUT DEPAUL (6-0): It is close between Weems and Charlie Moore, who transferred into the program from Utah State, as to who is the best addition to the team. The 5-11 guard Moore played perhaps his best game of the season against Boston College, scoring 24 points, including hitting a pair of critical 3-pointers late, while dishing out a season-high eight assists and coming up with four rebounds. The Chicago native leads the team in scoring and assists and has been nearly automatic from the foul line, making 19-of-22, including his second game of the season going 7-of-7 in the win over against Boston College.

TIP-INS

1. Blue Demons junior F Paul Reed (14.7 points, 10.5 rebounds per game) has recorded four straight double-doubles.

2. DePaul is 3-0 against Central Michigan, including a 100-86 triumph last season in the first round of the CBI tournament.

3. The Blue Demons are shooting 50.9 percent, which was 20th in the nation entering Monday.

PREDICTION: DePaul 87, Central Michigan 61