In Dave Leitao's first game as DePaul coach since the 2005 NIT, the Blue Demons rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to produce a 69-63 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday night at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Chicago.

DePaul junior point guard Billy Garrett, a preseason second-team All-Big East selection, hit just 4 of 13 shots from the field, but nailed 10 of 11 free throws and finished with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Senior forward Myke Henry added 16 points. Junior center Tommy Hamilton IV started quickly with seven points and four rebounds in the opening 12 minutes as DePaul took a 17-16 lead, but he wound up with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Junior small forward Tucker Haymond (24 points) and sophomore point guard Thomas Wilder (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) paced Western Michigan, which played without senior power forward Connar Tava. The team's top returning scorer and rebounder (12.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg) broke his foot three weeks ago and doesn't have a return date.

DePaul (1-0) took its first lead of the second half on freshman guard Eli Cain's layup and free throw with 9:34 to play. That three-point play came near the end of a 12-0 spree as Western Michigan went 5:06 without a point while committing four turnovers.

The Blue Demons held the Broncos to 26.9 percent shooting and forced 10 turnovers in the second half -- evidence of Leitao's emphasis on defense since he was rehired on March 29 to fix a program that posted just one winning season during his 10 years away.

The Broncos, who won 20-plus games four of the last five seasons, enjoyed their best stretch when Haymond and Wilder combined for 15 points in the final 5:50 of the first half to transform a 20-19 edge into a 35-24 halftime bulge.

DePaul, which won its eighth consecutive season opener, forced Western Michigan into deep foul trouble in the second half. Three Broncos fouled out and three others finished with four fouls as the Blue Demons hit 21 of 27 free throws after halftime.