The only thing more predictable than DePaul men’s basketball blowing a 9-0 lead to start the game against the seventh-ranked team in the country is the way they opened the second half — uninspired.
A nine-point 42-33 halftime lead for Xavier (19-2, 7-2 Big East) felt almost insurmountable and the frustration quickly translated on DePaul’s first five possessions in the second half, which resulted in the following:
Turnover. Turnover. Missed jumper. Turnover. Turnover.
The Musketeers, like any quality team would, took advantage and ballooned its lead to 15. Xavier never looked back and steadily handled the Blue Demons (7-14, 1-8) with a commanding 86-65 win at Allstate Arena.