Brandon Maclin Earns Big East Honor Roll as DePaul Chases History

When Brandon Maclin walked into Florida Coastal Prep from Jackson, Tennessee, the goal was simple: compete at the highest level possible and earn a college scholarship. Several years later, the Southside High School product is leading a DePaul program toward one of the best seasons in its Big East history — and he’s doing it on the biggest stage in college basketball.

Over the last three games, Maclin has led DePaul in scoring every single night. He earned Big East Honor Roll recognition on March 2 after averaging 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across wins over Creighton and Marquette — two programs that have been ranked nationally this season.

Tonight, he’ll be honored on Senior Night against Butler at Wintrust Arena. But the story of how a kid from Jackson, TN ended up here is what makes it worth telling.

The Three-Game Stretch That Changed Everything

Creighton — 21 Points, DePaul Wins 72-71

On the road at Creighton, Maclin put up 21 points on an efficient 8-for-12 shooting, including 3-for-3 from three-point range, to go with 4 assists and 3 rebounds. DePaul won 72-71 in a game that came down to the final seconds — completing a season sweep of Creighton for the second consecutive year.

This wasn’t a fluke performance against a struggling team. Creighton has been one of the Big East’s premier programs. Winning there requires the kind of composure under pressure that separates college role players from impact players.

Maclin was the latter. Every big shot. Every key possession. The FCP product delivered.

Marquette — 18 Points, DePaul Dominates 62-51

Three days later at Marquette, Maclin scored 18 points with 5 rebounds as DePaul built a commanding 32-14 halftime lead and never looked back. The 62-51 road win completed another season sweep — this time over Marquette, another nationally recognized Big East program.

DePaul dominated from the opening tip, and Maclin was at the center of it. The Blue Demons held Marquette to just 14 first-half points — the kind of defensive effort that reflects a team playing with senior leadership and purpose.

Villanova — 16 Points, 5 Rebounds, 4 Assists

Against Villanova on March 4, Maclin continued his late-season surge with 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. DePaul fell 76-57 in a tough road environment, but Maclin’s stat line showed the kind of all-around contribution that college coaches value — scoring, rebounding, and facilitating for teammates even when the game script gets difficult.

Big East Honor Roll — Earned, Not Given

The Big East Honor Roll isn’t a participation trophy. It’s awarded to the conference’s top performers each week based on production in games against Big East competition. Maclin earned it with 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game across the Creighton and Marquette wins.

For the season, Maclin is averaging 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. But those season averages don’t capture what he’s become in DePaul’s biggest games. When the stakes are highest, Maclin elevates — and that’s the trait that separates guys who play college basketball from guys who impact college basketball.

DePaul’s Historic Season

This isn’t just about Maclin. DePaul is in the middle of one of the best seasons the program has produced since joining the Big East. The Blue Demons entered Senior Night with a chance to clinch a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament — something the program has never done.

Season sweeps of Creighton and Marquette. A legitimate shot at tying the program’s all-time record for Big East conference wins. A senior class that has transformed the culture in Chicago.

And at the center of it, a transfer from Radford by way of Odessa College who started his journey at a post-graduate program on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

The Path: Jackson, TN → FCP → DePaul

Maclin’s journey is the blueprint for what a post-graduate year can do when the development is real.

At Florida Coastal Prep, Maclin trained in the Spartan Training Center under a Westside Barbell strength program designed to build the explosiveness and durability required for high-level college basketball. He competed against nationally ranked talent every day in practice and every week on the Grind Session circuit — the most competitive post-graduate league in the country.

That year at FCP wasn’t about highlight reels. It was about building the habits, the body, and the competitive toughness needed to perform at the highest level. The daily grind of structured training, competitive practices, and a national schedule prepared Maclin for exactly the moments he’s living now.

From FCP, Maclin went to Odessa College in Texas, then transferred to Radford University at the Division I level, and eventually landed at DePaul — one of the original Big East programs and one of the most storied basketball schools in the country.

Every stop added something. But the foundation was built at FCP.

Senior Night: One More Chapter

Tonight’s Senior Night against Butler is about more than ceremony. DePaul has real stakes on the line — a first-round bye, a program record, and the kind of postseason positioning that validates everything this senior class has built.

For Maclin, it’s the culmination of a journey that started in a small Tennessee town and wound through Fort Walton Beach, Odessa, Radford, and Chicago. Every stop required him to prove he belonged. Every transition demanded more from him physically and mentally.

He’s answered every time. And tonight, in front of the Wintrust Arena crowd, he’ll be honored for it.

What It Means for FCP

Brandon Maclin’s story is proof that the development model at Florida Coastal Prep works — not just for getting to college, but for thriving when you get there.

The Big East is the highest level of college basketball. Earning Honor Roll recognition in that conference, leading your team in scoring during the biggest games of the season, and helping build a historically great season — that’s what elite development produces.

Every rep in the weight room. Every competitive practice. Every Grind Session game. It all leads somewhere. For Maclin, it led to Senior Night at DePaul with a chance to make history.

Spartan Strong. Big East Tough.

Ready to build your own path to college basketball? Apply to Florida Coastal Prep or learn more about our Post-Graduate Program. Your journey starts here.