Blue Demons Go for the Program's 600th Win
12/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
#12/13 DePaul vs. Appalachian State
Maggie Dixon Surf N Slam Classic
Sunday, Dec. 30 | 6 p.m. PT
Jenny Craig Pavilion | San Diego, Calif.
SAN DIEGO The DePaul women's basketball team goes for the program's 600th win on Sunday when it takes on Appalachian State, at the Maggie Dixon Surf N Slam Classic hosted by the University of San Diego. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CST) at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
The Blue Demons (10-1) are ranked 12th in the AP and are 13th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, but fell into Sunday's consolation game after dropping a 91-81 game to No. 19/19 Texas on Friday. The loss snapped the Blue Demons 10-game winning streak and they join nine other top-25 teams with just a single loss, while three teams, Connecticut, Georgia and Arkansas remain unbeaten.
Against the Longhorns, Allie Quigley paced the floor with 29 points including a 5-11 effort from behind the arc. With 11 games in the book, Quigley leads a trio of Blue Demons in double digit scoring. Quigley averages a team-best 20.2 points, Deirdre Naughton follows with 15.9 and Natasha Williams adds 12.5 per contest. On the season, the Blue Demons explosive offense averages 85.2 points per game while holding their opponents to just 62.6 points.
Appalachian State (2-9) dropped into Sunday's consolation game after falling to tournament host San Diego 79-60 on Friday. The Mountaineers are 1-2 in their last three games and average just 64.4 points per contest. Whitney Tossie leads ASU averaging 11.9 points per game.
Sunday's game marks just the second meeting between the Blue Demons and Mountaineers. DePaul won the series only meeting 88-82 on March 21, 1987 in Amarillo, Texas.
Following the Sunday's game the Blue Demons return to Chicago and welcome No. 3/3 Tennessee to a sold out McGrath Arena for an 8 p.m. (CST) contest on Wednesday, Jan. 2. DePaul then begins its daunting BIG EAST Conference schedule on Sunday, Jan. 6 when Pittsburgh visits Lincoln Park for a 1 p.m. game at McGrath Arena. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPNU and can be heard on internet radio at www.depaulbluedemons.com.
599 Down, 1 to Go: DePaul’s next victory will be No. 600 in program history. In the 34th season of women’s basketball at DePaul University, the Blue Demons hold an all-time record of 599-352. Along with head coach Doug Bruno, Jean Lenti Ponsetto is the most associated name with DePaul women’s basketball. Ponsetto played on the first DePaul squad in 1974-75 before serving as an assistant coach (1978-81) and administrator at her alma mater. She moved into her current position of Athletics Director in July 2002. Ponsetto played for Bruno during the 1976-77 and 1977-78.
It Could Happen: A win would be No. 600 in program history... Allie Quigley is making her 100th consecutive start on Sunday and the 101st career start overall... a three-pointer would run DePaul’s streak to 86 games with at least one field goal from behind the arc.
TV Time: The BIG EAST Conference totals a league-record 101 combined appearances this season featuring each of the league’s 16 programs. For the second straight year every game of the league tournament will be televised and the CSTV “Game of the Week” package will single out the BIG EAST as the nation’s only conference with a weekly women’s basketball night on CSTV. DePaul is scheduled to make at least eight regular-season television appearances starting on Jan. 2 against defending NCAA Champion Tennessee on ESPNU. The Blue Demons will also be seen on ESPNU in games against Pittsburgh on Jan. 6 and Notre Dame on Feb. 24. The BIG EAST TV Network will carry the Jan. 19 game at Marquette while the Jan. 22 game at Notre Dame will be on CSTV. Louisville visits McGrath Arena on Feb. 10 for an ESPN2-televised game. While the final home game of the regular season against Connecticut will be seen on CLTV in Chicago with the CPTV (Connecticut Public Television) feed. Recently, West Virginia Public Broadcasting announced a nine-game television package with the DePaul-West Virginia game in Morgantown on Feb. 16 on WV PBS.