DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Faces Tennessee in Knoxville
11/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The DePaul women’s basketball team concludes a two-game weekend at Tennessee on Sunday afternoon. DePaul opened the weekend with an 80-68 win over Illinois State on Friday night before traveling to Knoxville, Tenn. The Blue Demons opened the 2008-09 campaign with five straight games in a tournament format with three in the Basketball Travelers Tip-Off Tourney at New Mexico followed by two games last weekend in the DePaul Invitational.
DePaul won the DePaul Invitational with victories over Southern and Hartford. Duke claimed third place with a consolation game win over Southern while the Blue Demons knocked off Hartford, 80-71, in the championship game. Deirdre Naughton was named MVP of the tournament while Keisha Hampton and Sam Quigley picked up All-Tournament honors.
The Blue Demons went 2-1 in the season-opening Basketball Travelers Tip-Off Classic hosted by New Mexico. DePaul knocked off Idaho State and Alcorn State in the first two days before dropping a 68-66 decision in the final seconds against the host Lobos. Hampton and Naughton were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Following this weekend’s action, DePaul hosts Southern Illinois on Friday, Dec. 5 at Noon for the annual “Field Trip Day” at McGrath Arena. Elementary students from around Chicago will be on hand for the Friday matinee. On Sunday, Dec. 7, DePaul takes the short trip from Lincoln Park to Rogers Park for a Sunday afternoon game at Loyola-Chicago.
Noting the Blue Demons: DePaul is 614-365 (.627) all-time... the 2008-09 campaign is the 35th season of women’s basketball at DePaul University... the Blue Demons have put together at least one 10-game winning streak in four of the last five campaigns... with a record-setting 252 three-pointers in 2007-08, DePaul has made at least 200 three’s in a season in nine straight years... since the start of the 2003-04 season (165 games), the Blue Demons have held 63.0 percent of their opponents to less than 70 points (104-of-165)... in that span, DePaul is 90-14 (.865) when holding opponents to less than 70 points... DePaul has held five of its first six opponents to less than 70 this season... in the last three-plus seasons, the Blue Demons are 71-33 (.683)... in the last 45 home games against conference opponents, DePaul has posted 37 victories... over the last eight-plus seasons (258 games), DePaul has scored at least 80 points in 96 games... the Blue Demons hold a 91-5 (.948) record in those games... in the same span, DePaul is 41-1, including 39 straight wins, when scoring at least 90 points... with two games in each of its three BIG EAST Tournaments, DePaul is just one of three teams to play in multiple conference tourney games... Connecticut and Pittsburgh have also played at least two games in each of the last three BIG EAST Championships... the Blue Demons are one of 17 programs nationally with six straight NCAA Championship appearances.
Opponent 7 - Tennessee Lady Vols: Tennessee is 4-1 and ranked No. 9 in this week’s AP poll and No. 12 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches top 25... the Lady Vols have won three straight since an 83-83 loss to Virginia on Nov. 17... Glory Johnson leads three players in double-figures with 16.0 points per game... she is followed by Shekinn Stricklen with 11.0 points per game and Kelley Cain with 10.0 points per contest... Vicki Baugh averages a team-best 10.3 rebounds along with a 9.3 scoring average... Tennessee went 36-2 last season and is the defending NCAA Champion... they return six letterwinners and just a single starter from that squad... head coach Pat Summitt is in her 35th season at Tennessee.
The Series - Tennessee leads 17-0: Sunday is the 18th meeting between the two programs... the Lady Vols have claimed all 17 games... Sunday is DePaul’s first appearance in Knoxville since a 78-63 loss on Dec. 12, 2004... a year ago, the Lady Vols posted a 102-68 decision at McGrath Arena in Chicago.
Against the Southeastern Conference: DePaul is 13-40 all-time against programs from the SEC... the last win against a SEC opponent was a 76-61 victory over Vanderbilt in Chicago on Jan. 30, 1996... since that victory, DePaul has dropped 13 straight to SEC programs... of the 13 defeats, 10 are to Tennessee... the Blue Demons also lost to LSU in the 2006 NCAA Sweet 16, lost to Alabama in Nov. 1998 and Auburn in Dec. 1996.
Next - Southern Illinois (Dec. 5 at McGrath Arena): DePaul hosts Southern Illinois on Friday, Dec. 5 at Noon... DePaul University will host elementary students from around the Chicagoland area for its annual Field Trip Day’... the Salukis are 2-2 following a pair of losses to Florida and Hofstra at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas... DePaul holds a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series and enters the game with a 31-game winning streak against programs from the state of Illinois.
Against the State: DePaul has seen recent success against opponents from the state of Illinois. Over the last 46 games against Chicago State, Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern and Southern Illinois, the Blue Demons have posted 45 victories. The 2007-08 schedule saw DePaul knock off Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago, Loyola-Chicago, Chicago State, Northern Illinois and Northwestern.
DePaul has won 52 of the last 54 games against state opponents and currently holds a 31-game winning streak against Illinois schools. The last loss to a state program was on Dec. 4, 2002, as Illinois defeated the Blue Demons in Champaign by a 71-67 score. During the 54-game stretch, both defeats have occurred at Illinois with the last home loss to an Illinois program on Nov. 20, 1998, against Northwestern. The Wildcats defeated the Blue Demons at Alumni Hall by a score of 62-61.
It Could Happen: Sunday’s game is the 980th in DePaul women’s basketball history... a win would be No. 420 for Doug Bruno at DePaul... a loss would give the Blue Demons two defeats in their first seven games of the season for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign... China Threatt needs two points for 400 career and three assists for 150... the game is Natasha Williams’ 90th career contest... she played 51 games as a freshman and sophomore at Minnesota and has 38 games in a DePaul uniform.
Demon Doings: Notes following the 80-68 win against Illinois State on Nov. 28:
a-The Blue Demons have won 31 straight games over teams from the state of Illinois... DePaul has claimed wins in 45 of the last 46 and 52 of the last 54 contests against Illinois programs.
- At McGrath Arena, the Blue Demons are 90-7 (.928) all-time against unranked opponents.
- Since the start of the 2003-04 season (165 games), DePaul is 90-14 (.865) when holding opponents to less than 70 points... over the last eight-plus seasons (258 games), the Blue Demons have scored at least 80 in 96 games... DePaul is 91-5 (.948) in those games.
- Deirdre Naughton surpassed 1,000 points for her collegiate career in the first half... she entered the game with 996 points (419 at Wake Forest/577 at DePaul).
- DePaul leads the series, 6-3, against Illinois State... the Blue Demons have won the last three meetings... DePaul is 33-10 all-time against programs from the Missouri Valley Conference.
Marching Along: DePaul has tallied six straight NCAA Championship appearances and 13 appearances overall. The current six-year streak is the longest in program history ahead of DePaul earning four straight berths from 1990-93. That four-year run was followed by three straight appearances from 1995-97. The program is 7-13 all-time in NCAA action and 4-6 since 2003, including the 2006 NCAA Regional Semifinal in San Antonio, Texas. The program is one of 14 schools to play in the postseason in at least 17 of the last 20 years and is just one of 17 programs to play in each of the last six tournaments.
Streaking: Dating back to last season and in some cases, the last couple of seasons, the Blue Demons have put together various streaks. Listed below are some current active streaks heading into Sunday’s game at Tennessee:
- 112 consecutive games with a three-pointer
- 31 straight wins against opponents from Illinois, 44 of the last 45, and 52 wins in the last 54
- six straight NCAA Championship appearances
- nine seasons in-a-row with at least 200 three-pointers
Taking Advantage from Beyond the Arc: Since the start of the 2005-06 season, the club has knocked down 757 trifectas compared to just 516 for the opposition. With 10 three-pointers at Rutgers on Feb. 27 last season, the team clinched the ninth straight year with at least 200 three-pointers. An 0-for-8 showing against Houston on Feb. 11, 2005, ended DePaul’s streak with a three-pointer at 259 games. At the time, it was the nation’s seventh-longest active streak. Including the Houston game, the Blue Demons have tallied a three-pointer in 371 of the last 372 games. DePaul enters Sunday’s game at Tennessee with a streak of 112 consecutive games with a three-pointer.