DePaul Opens Season With 75-58 Win Over West Georgia
Koree Cotton scores 20 points in his DePaul debut as the Blue Demons open with a double-digit victory.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Basketball
DePaul defeated West Georgia 75-58 in its season opener on Monday. Koree Cotton led the Blue Demons with 20 points in his debut, while Magoon Gwath added 19 points.
Why it matters
The opening result gives DePaul an early benchmark as it introduces seven newcomers to the roster. The performance of its transfers will shape how the Blue Demons compete as the season progresses.
Cotton was 11-for-13 from the free throw line in his debut, while Gwath went 2-of-5 from three-point range. South Florida also won its opener 98-71 over Charleston Southern, with five players reaching double figures.
The players
DePaul Blue Demons
DePaul University's men's basketball program, a member of the Big East Conference based in Chicago.
Koree Cotton
A transfer guard who joined DePaul from UT Rio Grande Valley and scored 20 points in his Blue Demons debut.
Magoon Gwath
A 7-footer and one of seven newcomers making his DePaul debut, who scored 19 points in the opener.
The details
Cotton, who transferred from UT Rio Grande Valley, delivered 20 points off the bench. Gwath, a 7-footer and one of seven newcomers making DePaul debuts, scored 19 points on lobs from guards and in transition.
Timeline
Monday: DePaul defeats West Georgia 75-58 in its season opener.
Thursday: DePaul hosts South Florida in Chicago.
Season Trajectory
The rise of the NCAA transfer portal has made immediate roster turnover a defining feature of college basketball, and DePaul's opener shows newcomers filling major scoring roles from the start. Early results like this set expectations for how quickly a rebuilt roster can compete.
The opener means DePaul's rotation will likely rely on Cotton and Gwath from the start of conference play. Fantasy managers tracking college basketball should note Gwath's scoring output from the post in the Blue Demons' first game.
The takeaway
Early production from transfers can reshape a team's identity quickly. Watching how DePaul's newcomers handle Thursday's matchup against South Florida will show whether the opening performance was a preview or an outlier.
What happens next
DePaul hosts South Florida on Thursday in Chicago.
Further reading
For more on the local program, explore Chicago Basketball coverage.
