CHICAGO (AP) -- DePaul coach Pat Kennedy laid it out before the game. Either play hard against Elon, or practice on your days off.

The Blue Demons (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 24 AP) took the threat seriously.

Paul McPherson scored 13 points to lead five players in double figures in DePaul's 80-56 victory Thursday night.

"He let us know if we let up, we'd be in practice the next day and the next day and the day after that," McPherson said. "We wanted the days off."

Reserve Ayinde Avery scored 12 points and Bobby Simmons added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Blue Demons (10-3), who have won six of seven games.

Leading 7-6 early, the Blue Demons went on a 22-0 run. Steven Hunter scored eight of his 11 points points during the run, which included a two-handed dunk following an acrobatic steal by Quentin Richardson to make it 19-6. With its trapping defense and quick hands, DePaul extended the lead to 29-6, forcing six turnovers during the run, and held Elon scoreless for almost nine minutes.

"We felt like the key was the first seven to eight minutes," Elon coach Mark Simons said. "How well would we handle the pressure and the 1-3-1 zone? That was our chance, but it didn't happen."

The Blue Demons, up by as many as 26 points in the first half, led 43-23 at halftime.

The Fightin' Christians never got closer than 18 points in the second half and DePaul led by as many as 29.

"They're a tough team to come back from," Simons added. "The way they rebound and defend."

George Baker started for DePaul at point guard in place of Rashon Burno, who played sparingly while he nurses a sore right knee, and had eight points and eight assists.

"George Baker has done a terrific job the last three games," Kennedy said. "He and Ayinde Avery did a fine job for us tonight."

An ankle injury to Baker forced Kennedy to use his third-string point guard, Brian Cashin, for the final four minutes. Baker is day-to-day.

The Blue Demons played without starting center Lance Williams, who had played the last three games after returning from a broken foot. DePaul, which doesn't play again until Jan. 8, against North Carolina Charlotte, rested him as a precaution. Kennedy said both Williams and Burno will continue to rehab until then. Everybody else gets a break -- at least until Monday.

"We're just going to take this time and get our players washed out, mentally," Kennedy said.

Clint Walker and Brendon Rowell each had 14 points for Elon (4-7), which lost its third straight.