Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs DePaul Blue Demons Match Player Stats On Mar 27, 2019

Paul Reed and Max Strus scored 24 points apiece as DePaul turned aside visiting Coastal Carolina 92-87 in the College Basketball Invitational semifinals Wednesday night at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Chicago.

Femi Olujobi added 18 points, Eli Cain chipped in 12 points and Jaylen Butz had 11 points for DePaul (19-15), which goes to the finals against the winner of Thursday night's Loyola Marymount-South Florida game in the best-of-three finals.

Reed made 11 of 14 shots from the field, while Strus was 11-for-11 on free throws.

Zac Cuthbertson's 21 points, Devante Jones' 16, Ebrima Dibba's 14 and Tyrell Gumbs-Frater's 13 points paced Coastal Carolina (17-17), which was coming off a road victory against West Virginia in the second round.

The Chanticleers were boosted by 12 baskets from 3-point range, while DePaul was 4-for-17 from long range.

DePaul held a 36-24 rebounding bulge, but committed 15 turnovers to Coastal Carolina's eight.

The scoring was at a rapid clip in the second half.

DePaul scored 36 points in the first 11 minutes of the second half, matching its first-half total.

The Blue Devils pulled away in the final nine minutes. A three-point play from Lyrik Shreiner created an 80-69 edge with 6:38 to play.

Coastal Carolina stormed back, pulling within 80-76 before missing a shot to get closer.

At 86-82, DePaul had three empty possessions while Coastal Carolina had two missed shots and a turnover. Finally, Reed scored for DePaul at the 31-second mark.

The Chanticleers went nearly two minutes without a point down the stretch before the Blue Demons re-built an eight-point lead.

Other than DePaul's five-point lead in the opening minutes, neither team established much control in the first half. Coastal Carolina held a 38-36 lead at the break.

Strus had 38 points two nights earlier for the Blue Demons in a home victory against Longwood.

Coastal Carolina, which was in the CBI for the second time, has a 6-3 all-time record in the event.

This was the first-ever meeting between Coastal Carolina and DePaul.

--Field Level Media