ROSEMONT, Ill. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by missed shots than made ones, the DePaul Blue Demons grinded out a 56-50 victory over the Georgetown Hoyas in a Big East Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Allstate Arena.

The game, witnessed by a crowd of 3,708, was a stark departure from typical offensive fireworks, with both teams combining to shoot a frigid 30 of 104 from the field. Georgetown’s offensive woes were particularly acute, as the Hoyas managed just 12 field goals on 53 attempts, a dismal 22.6 percent. Their scoring was largely propped up by a 25-for-31 performance from the free-throw line.

DePaul, while not efficient, found just enough offense to secure the win. The Blue Demons shot 35.3 percent from the field and connected on seven three-pointers, compared to Georgetown’s solitary make from beyond the arc. The most critical disparity came in the second half, where Georgetown’s offense completely stalled, scoring only 15 points after intermission.

The contest’s pivotal sequence arrived late in the second half with DePaul clinging to a narrow lead. Leading 48-45 with under four minutes to play, the Blue Demons’ defense forced a crucial stop. On the ensuing possession, guard Layden Blocker found RJ Smith for a three-pointer that pushed the DePaul advantage to 51-45 with 3:37 remaining.

Georgetown, which had struggled to score from the field all night, could not muster a response. The Hoyas missed their next several attempts, and DePaul sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final minute. Blocker, the Blue Demons’ floor general from Little Rock, Arkansas, facilitated the key play as part of his nine-point, five-assist, 38-minute effort.

Georgetown was led by KJ Lewis of El Paso, Texas, who scored a game-high 18 points, though it required 15 free-throw attempts to reach that total. The Hoyas’ interior defense was a bright spot, recording nine steals and seven blocks, with Vincent Iwuchukwu of Imo State, Nigeria, swatting four shots.

For DePaul, balance was key. Brandon Maclin of Jackson, Tennessee, led the team with 13 points, while NJ Benson of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, provided nine points, four assists and three blocks. Kaleb Banks of Hampton, Georgia, also added nine points.

The victory improved DePaul’s season record to 10-6 overall. The Blue Demons, who were a narrow pregame favorite, defied a national statistical projection that gave them just a 52.4 percent chance to win. Georgetown fell to 9-6 with the loss, its second consecutive defeat in conference play.

The game’s total points, 106, fell dramatically under the pregame over/under line of 145.5, underscoring the defensive and offensively challenged nature of the evening. Both teams now look ahead to tough conference slates, with DePaul set to visit Connecticut on Saturday and Georgetown preparing to host Seton Hall the same day. The two teams will meet again in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28.