DePaul, trying to avoid overconfidence, faces Stonehill

Early-season runaways can offer lots to like, but “what you don’t want to do is create bad habits,” DePaul coach Chris Holtmann cautions.After rolling past Chicago State on Monday behind what Holtmann called some terrific sequences, the Blue Demons will host Stonehill on Friday with an eye on staying dedicated and disciplined.Cultivating their depth would be a bonus, too.While NJ Benson registered 16 points and 10 rebounds while Layden Blocker added 16 points in the Blue Demons’ 92-62 rout of Chicago State, several of DePaul’s reserves seized their own chances to shine.DePaul (1-0) got an encouraging performance from sophomore forward Theo Pierre-Justin, who had a career-best 12 points off the bench to go with five rebounds.Pierre-Justin logged 14 minutes, a notable bump from his average of 6.2 per game in his debut season.”Energy. I bring the energy,” Pierre-Justin said. “I think that’s the most important thing and the first thing that I think about when I’m on the court. Just bring the energy and bring more intensity.”Don’t forget a smooth stroke. Pierre Justin shot 5-for-7 on Monday, including makes on both of his attempts from 3-point range.

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