Great start, but a clunker of an ending

OMAHA, Neb. -- DePaul couldn't have scripted a better start.

Center Wesley Green, the 6-foot-9, 300-pound enigma who many think the season hinges on, opened Friday's game against Creighton with a 3-pointer. Then he put back a Draelon Burns miss.

Green finished the first half with 7 points and 3 rebounds in only eight minutes.

The problem?

"All that stuff don't matter now," Green said.

It doesn't, because Green, like many of his DePaul teammates, struggled after halftime in a 74-62 loss. The senior converted a 3-point play and blocked 2 shots, but he also committed 2 turnovers and grabbed only 1 rebound.

"He hit the wall in the second half, and he hit it early," coach Jerry Wainwright said. "He looked a little bit sluggish. But again, he does a lot of good things."

Green said his struggles stemmed more from frustration than an energy loss.

"I don't think I hit a wall at all," he said. "I got a layup and an 'and 1.' Those kinds of plays, I didn't have in the past.

"I've just got to concentrate more on fundamental basketball."

Three men out: Three Demons players did not make the trip for the opener.

Sophomore forward Thijin Moses remains suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team policy. The NCAA initial-eligibility clearinghouse is reviewing the amateur status of freshmen Mario Stula and Kene Obi. Stula, a 6-foot-7 wing, also has a shoulder injury that will keep him out of contact drills for at least a few more days.

DePaul officials expect Stula's and Obi's situations to be resolved in the next two weeks.

Jump shots: DePaul wore black jerseys for the first time in team history. … Forward Mac Koshwal became the first DePaul freshman to start the season opener since Sammy Mejia in 2003.