DePaul rebounded from its first loss of the season Saturday at Notre Dame by parlaying rebounding dominance to a 72-57 victory over Florida International on Wednesday night in Allstate Arena.
“I didn’t know exactly how they’d react to a loss, especially by the score (102-71) and the magnitude of the game,” DePaul coach Dave Leitao said. “In the first half we were back on our heels at times. That was partly because of Florida International being so aggressive and some residue from Saturday, with our mind-set not being where it needed to be.”
DePaul (5-1) immediately went out front and led by as many as six points before Florida International (4-5) used an 11-2 run to take a 19-16 lead. The Blue Demons regained the lead but the score stayed close for most of the half, which ended with them leading 32-27.
Control of the backboards was the key. Outshot 50 percent to 42.9 percent, Leitao’s team outrebounded the visitors 18-11 in the half and allowed them only one offensive rebound.
Seventy-eight seconds into the second half, 6-foot-9-inch Sam Hoskin, who has been DePaul’s best player this season, was whistled for his third foul when he attempted to block Fab Fisher’s three-point shot. Although Hoskin took a precautionary trip to the bench, the Blue Demons were able to step up their attack, converting two steals into fastbreak baskets by Delonte Holland en route to widening their lead. When Hoskin returned, they were on top 46-35.
As in the first half, rebounding was the vital ingredient.
“When the game was in the balance, their offensive rebounds made the difference,” Florida International coach Donnie Marsh said. “They played with fervor.”
The Demons wound up with 22 second-chance points to 18 for their opponents from the Sun Belt Conference. They also accelerated their running game in the second half and finished with 10 fastbreak points while FIU had none, even though it exerted full-court pressure for virtually the entire game.
Junior point guard Chris Exilus, who had appeared in only three of the five previous DePaul games and played a total of eight minutes, came off the bench to make a significant contribution in the second half.
“When he came in we were plus-8 and when he came out we were plus-21 or thereabouts,” pointed out Leitao. “We needed another ballhandler who could stabilize us when we faced the press. He stabilized us and he played well defensively.”
Exilus also scored seven points in his 12 minutes on the court, sinking a three-point shot and all four of his free throws.
“I got my chance and I did the best I could,” he said.
Holland was the game’s high scorer with 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half.
