Blue Demons Garner Preseason Recognition
9/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - Coming off their 22-10 record and NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago, the DePaul women's basketball team is ranked No. 18 in the annual preseason Top 25 by Athlon Magazine. Heading into the 2003-04 campaign, head coach Doug Bruno returns nine players and the top five scorers from last season.
Khara Smith, the 2003 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, returns after averaging 13.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. She is joined by leading returning scorer Jenni Dant, who was named second team All-Conference USA after averaging 14.4 points per game. Sarah Kustok, Ashley Luke and Charlene Smith are also back as Kustok led Conference USA last season with a .445 three-point field goal percentage. Luke tied DePaul's single-season three-point field goal with 94 three's while Smith came off the bench and tallied 22 double-figure scoring games.
The nine returning players include three starters that accounted for 84 percent of the scoring, 74 percent of the rebounding and 71 percent of the minutes played. The 22-10 record was the best mark since the Blue Demons posted an identical mark during the 1989-90 season. Last season, DePaul was a perfect 14-0 at home while winning by an average of 22.2 points per game at the DePaul Athletic Center. Their 14-game home court winning streak is tied for the nation's seventh-longest with Ohio State and Washington. Connecticut leads the country with a 63-game home court winning streak.
Joining the Blue Demons in the preseason poll is Conference USA member TCU. The Horned Frogs stand at No. 22 after finishing last season with a 20-14 record. In addition to TCU, the Blue Demons will also face No. 9 Tennessee on Dec. 17 at the DePaul Athletic Center. Two-time defending NCAA Champion Connecticut is picked No. 1 and followed by Duke, Kansas State, Stanford and Texas.
Athlon Magazine Women's Basketball Preseason Top 25
1. Connecticut (37-1)
2. Duke (35-2)
3. Kansas State (29-5)
4. Stanford (27-5)
5. Texas (29-6)
6. Penn State (26-9)
7. LSU (30-4)
8. Texas Tech (29-6)
9. Tennessee (33-5)
10. North Carolina (28-6)
11. Purdue (29-6)
12. Louisiana Tech (31-3)
13. Notre Dame (21-11)
14. Georgia (21-10)
15. Virginia (17-14)
16. Michigan State (17-12)
17. Ohio State (22-10)
18. DePaul (22-10)
19. Rutgers (21-8)
20. Utah (24-7)
21. Minnesota (25-6)
22. TCU (20-14)
23. Arizona (22-9)
24. Virginia Tech (22-10)
25. Southwest Missouri State (18-13)