DePaul enters Tuesday’s Big East opener against visiting Providence in Chicago with a dose of cautious optimism.After rolling through the first wave of nonconference play under first-year coach Chris Holtmann, the Blue Demons (7-1) realize the Friars and the rest of their league foes represent a step up in class.That apparently goes double — or greater — for a program that went 0-20 in the Big East last season and hasn’t won a regular-season conference game since January 2023.A 76-62 loss at Texas Tech on Wednesday offered a valuable test for DePaul. After trailing by only a point at halftime, the Blue Demons sputtered during a 21-5 Red Raiders run to open the second half.”We just didn’t have the kind of defensive force we needed to in both of those halves, to start the half,” Holtmann said. “Some (of) it was nerves, probably to start the game, but we just didn’t play with the force we needed to.”Providence (6-4) can attest to fading down the stretch lately.The Friars led in-state rival Rhode Island 35-28 at halftime on Saturday but were unable to sustain momentum, shooting 5-for-20 from long range while committing 13 turnovers in a 69-63 defeat.”We’re still learning the value of possessions,” Providence coach Kim English said. “To be constantly in it — to be dialed in.”Bryce Hopkins and Bensley Joseph scored 16 points apiece for the Friars, while Jayden Pierre chipped in 12 points.