More than 11 minutes into the game, everything looked good for NIU on Saturday night.

Tied up at 15-all, the jitters of opening the Convocation Center and facing DePaul (1-0) had, what looked like, no ill effects on the Huskies (1-2).

Then DePaul went on a 12-2 run, and never looked back in its 63-48 win, despite missing its star player 6-foot-9 Andre Brown to injury.

“With this being a new building, and with such a tremendous build up for the game, I’m very happy to come out of here with a win,” first-year DePaul coach Dave Leitao said.

In front of 8,041 fans, NIU entered half-time down 30-19. The deficit eventually grew to as many as 24 late in the second half.

“I want to thank the fans for a great opening to the Convocation Center,” NIU coach Rob Judson said. “However, I was disappointed in the outcome and a stretch we played in the second half. But this team will work and we will improve.”

Coming out of the locker room, NIU opened up the half looking to improve its 1-for-9 first half three-point shooting.

At the head of the Huskies’ efforts was junior guard Perry Smith.

The 6-foot-4 Smith hit three consecutive three-point shots, followed by an Al Sewasciuk three-pointer to cut DePaul’s lead to eight — the smallest it was all second half.

“I felt I had to do something,” said Smith, about his second-half shooting barrage. “We just needed a spark. I picked up my intensity on offense and defense.”

Smith finished the game as NIU’s leading scorer with 13 points while Sewasciuk (eight), Marcus Smallwood (seven) and Jay Bates (seven) followed.

Smallwood, who scored the first point of the game on a free-throw, also added eight rebounds and four blocks in 28 minutes of work.

DePaul was led by 6-foot-6 Delonte Holland with 16 points, four rebounds and three steals. Sharp-shooting guard Joe Tulley, a Rockford-native, and newly converted point guard Drake Diener contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively.

“They were pretty much letting me bring the ball up and that really helped,” Diener said. “I expected the arena to be a little more of a factor. After the first five minutes I got off to a great start. I expected it to be a little tougher though.”