DePaul Sweeps Marquette as Blue Demons' Rise Under Chris Holtmann Continues

DePaul's win over Marquette means the Blue Demons are one of the hottest teams in the Big East as March approaches.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Blue Demons' 62-51 victory over Marquette on Sunday was a statement win, as DePaul has now won four of its last five games and three Big East road games in a row under second-year head coach Chris Holtmann. Brandon Maclin scored 18 points, including 15 in the first half, to help DePaul build a big early lead, and NJ Benson iced the game late with six points in the final 2:23. The win puts DePaul at 16-13 overall and 8-10 in Big East play, just a half-game out of fifth place which would earn them a first-round bye in the conference tournament.

Why it matters

DePaul's rise under Holtmann represents a significant turnaround for a program that has struggled in the Big East since joining the conference in 2005-06. Winning double-digit Big East games for the first time would be a major milestone, and earning a first-round tournament bye would be another sign of progress as Holtmann continues to rebuild the Blue Demons into a contender.

The details

DePaul built a 32-14 halftime lead behind Maclin's hot shooting, but Marquette chipped away and got within three points late in the game. However, Benson scored six points in the final 2:23 to seal the victory for the Blue Demons. Holtmann credited the team's experience in a similar situation against Xavier earlier in the season, when they blew a big lead but learned from that experience.

  • DePaul had a 16-point lead on Xavier on January 31 but ended up losing that game.
  • DePaul defeated Marquette 62-51 on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

The players

Chris Holtmann

The head coach of the DePaul Blue Demons, who is in his second year leading the program and has them on the rise in the Big East.

Brandon Maclin

A DePaul player who scored 18 points, including 15 in the first half, to help the Blue Demons build an early lead over Marquette.

NJ Benson

A DePaul player who scored six points in the final 2:23 to ice the win over Marquette.

Shaka Smart

The head coach of the Marquette Golden Eagles, whose team was defeated by DePaul.

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What they’re saying

“I think it helps, especially for a group that hadn't been in that position before. In our two years, we really haven't been in that position in league.”

— Chris Holtmann, Head Coach, DePaul Blue Demons (fox32chicago.com)

“If you told me those three guys would be significantly below their averages, I would take that.”

— Shaka Smart, Head Coach, Marquette Golden Eagles (fox32chicago.com)

What’s next

Winning their final two regular season games would mark the first time DePaul has won double-digit Big East games since joining the conference in 2005-06.

The takeaway

DePaul's sweep of Marquette is the latest sign of the Blue Demons' rise under Chris Holtmann, as the team has learned from past mistakes and is now one of the hottest teams in the Big East heading into March. Their progress represents a significant turnaround for a program that has struggled in the conference since joining over 15 years ago.