More than twenty years have passed since DePaul was an NCAA Tournament team but Chris Holtmann is focused on ending that streak and bringing success to this part of Chicago. After all, Holtmann previously had success in the Big East at Butler and has legitimately made progress in his first two years with the Blue Demons. DePaul finished 6th place in the Big East last season with a 16-16 mark but are looking to take that next step this year.
The losses are big
The first obvious issue is that a number of significant pieces from last season were seniors who will not return. DePaul sheds N. J. Benson, CJ Gunn, and Brandon Maclin, all of whom averaged double-digit points per game. Thankfully, they weren’t picked apart too badly in the transfer portal and notably return Layden Blocker (11.1 points per game last season) and a number of young depth pieces like Fabian Flores, Kruz McClure, and Theo Pierre-Justin.
As for additions, it’s not a recruiting class that jumps off the page but Holtmann and his staff added three 3-star freshmen into the mix and got some intriguing names from the portal. Kahmare Holmes is a definite highlight after averaging nearly 20 points a game at Wofford while Koree Cotton from UTRGV and Ade Popoola from Tulsa also add scoring potential in the backcourt. 7-footer Wilson Jacques was emphatic as a freshman at Fresno State, but it’s a different big man who quickly gained our attention.
Big man in middle
Magoon Gwath is a 7-0 big man originally out of Euless, Texas who has grown into a fantastic defender in his career. He began his collegiate journey with a redshirt year at San Diego State before becoming a vital piece of the Aztecs’ frontcourt. In his first season, he averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, becoming MWC Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year. His scoring was slightly better last season, though he didn’t quite put the same dominant shot blocking numbers up.
Fresh off what was a disappointing season for many at San Diego State, Gwath is getting a new start with the Blue Demons and has a major opportunity here. He did brilliant work early and often and was even Top 10 in the nation in blocks per game in that first season. DePaul is hoping that they can plug him into this lineup and lean heavily on his defense, though don’t discount his ability to grow on the offensive end either. In limited opportunities he has made nearly 41% of his 3-point attempts in his career.
DePaul splashed with high-scoring guards but getting a lockdown defender at the 5 is the biggest win this program could hope for in this offseason. Gwath won’t be expected to lead the charge on offense but is a key weapon around the rim. The big question is how he handles the transition into the Big East with more sizeable and impactful frontcourts, but DePaul’s success hinges on his ability to bounce back and be that lockdown rim protector.
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