Blue Demons drop three on Big East road trip

Three days after their stunning victory over Pittsburgh, their first Big East win of the season, the men's basketball team was unable to keep the momentum going as they fell to Villanova 87-71 in Philadelphia. DePaul fell behind 10-0 to start the game and could not dig themselves fully out of that hole.

Brandon Young led the Blue Demons with 22 points and six assists, while Cleveland Melvin added 19 points and four rebounds. Moses Morgan rounded out the sophomore trio with nine points.

The Blue Demons suffered on defense in the first half, allowing Villanova to shoot 62.5 percent from the field and 14 for 20 from the free throw line. They cut the Wildcats' lead to just eight points on two occasions in the second half, but could not take over down the stretch.

Maalik Wayns led the Wildcats with 21 points and Dominic Cheek scored 20 points. Despite committing a season-high 28 turnovers, Villanova shot 56 percent from the field and held a 22 rebound advantage.

In the second game of their three-game road trip, the Blue Demons once again struggled against an opponent's hot shooting, allowing the No. 24 Seton Hall Pirates to shoot 58.7 percent in a 94-73 loss.

Young once again led the Demons in scoring with 16, while Cleveland Melvin and Worrel Clahar added 14 apiece.

DePaul at one point faced a 24-point deficit before cutting the Pirates' lead to just nine points with eight minutes remaining.

Seton Hall immediately answered with a 9-2 run, which the Blue Demons could not overcome.

DePaul shot just 34.3 percent from the field and 5 for 20 from downtown.

Seton Hall had three players post big games statistically – Fuquan Edwin scored a game-high 28 points; Jordan Theodore had 26 points and 11 assists; and Herb Pope scored 11 points and grabbed 13 boards.

On the third and final stop of the Big East roadtrip, DePaul found themselves trailing Louisville (14/15) and never recovering.

Plauged by weak shooting the, the closest the Demons got was a five point deficit with over seven minutes left in the game.

Brandon Young was the only player in double digits with 14 points. Clahar added nine and four others scored eight points. The game ended as a 76-59 loss. The Blue Demons take on the Georgetown Hoyas at homeTuesday.