Javon Freeman-Liberty scored 22 points Saturday night as DePaul pulled away in the second half for a 99-66 win over Central Michigan in Chicago.

Freeman-Liberty scored 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting with seven rebounds and seven assists before leaving the game for good with eight minutes left. In the season-opening win over Coppin State, he was two assists shy of producing the first triple-double in program history.

DePaul (2-0) also got 20 points and seven rebounds from Minnesota transfer Brandon Johnson, 16 points and nine rebounds from David Jones, and 15 points and eight rebounds from Philmon Gebrewhit.

Central Michigan (0-2) got 11 points from Aundre Polk, and 10 points apiece from Brian Taylor, Jermaine Jackson Jr., and Oscar Lopez Jr.

DePaul improved to 5-0 all-time against Central Michigan as the Blue Demons fell one short of reaching 100 points for the first time since April 3, 2019, in an overtime win over South Florida. They last scored 100 points in a regulation game against Central Michigan on March 20, 2019.

Central Michigan used a 7-0 run midway in the first half to take a 24-22 lead with 7:39 remaining in the half, as DePaul went 3:44 without a field goal and their early nine-point lead evaporated. The two-point edge matched the Chippewas largest lead in the first half.

DePaul got back on top by as many as six points when Freeman-Liberty's basket from the paint completed a 7-0 run and put the Demons ahead 41-35 in the final minute. Yet, three-point play by CMU's Kevin Miller with two seconds left cut DePaul's halftime lead to 41-38.

DePaul dominated the second half. The Blue Demons had an eight-point lead after Nick Ongenda's dunk with 15:43 left, but couldn't shake the Chippewas until an 8-0 run made the score 64-52.

After surrendering two free throws, DePaul went on a 15-0 run to press the lead to 25 points when Liberty-Freeman dropped a 3-pointer at 8:37 that made it 79-54.

Central Michigan plays at Eastern Illinois on Monday. DePaul plays again on Thursday, hosting Rutgers in one of the Gavitt Tipoff Games between the Big East and Big Ten.

--Field Level Media