DePaul University Athletics
Women's Basketball Faces Loyola in Rogers Park
12/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - The DePaul Blue Demons take the short trip north to Rogers Park for a Sunday afternoon game at Loyola. All of the action begins at 4 p.m. and the game can be seen live in Chicago on Lakeshore Public TV.
A stretch of six games with five opponents from the state of Illinois started Friday with an 85-42 win over Southern Illinois. DePaul enters the Loyola game with a 32-game winning streak against state schools. The Blue Demons also face Northwestern (Dec. 14), Northern Illinois (Dec. 18) and UIC (Dec. 22) with the lone non-Illinois game at Missouri State on Dec. 10.
Following Sunday’s action, DePaul travels to Springfield, Mo., for a Wednesday night contest at Missouri State before hosting Northwestern on Dec. 14.
Noting the Blue Demons: DePaul is 615-366 (.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 (167 games), the Blue Demons have held 62.9 percent of their opponents to less than 70 points (105-of-167)... in that span, DePaul is 91-14 (.867) when holding opponents to less than 70 points... DePaul has held six of its first eight opponents to less than 70 this season... in the last three-plus seasons, the Blue Demons are 72-34 (.679)... in the last 45 home games against conference opponents, DePaul has posted 37 victories... over the last eight-plus seasons (260 games), DePaul has scored at least 80 points in 97 games... the Blue Demons hold a 92-5 (.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 9 - Loyola Ramblers: Loyola stands at 4-2 following a 56-42 win at SIU-Edwardsville on Friday night... the Ramblers are playing their first home game since an 81-63 win over Robert Morris in the home opener on Nov. 24... Elyse Van Bogaert leads three players in double-figures with 17.0 points per game and is the top rebounder with 8.3 boards per contest... she is followed by Keisha Collins with 12.5 points per game and Maggie McCloskey’s 12.2 scoring average... Loyola returns 10 players and all five starters from last season’s 8-23 squad... head coach Shannon Reidy is in her fourth season at Loyola.
The Series - DePaul leads 31-9: Sunday is the 41st meeting between the two programs... DePaul has claimed 14 straight and 20 of the lsat 23 meetings... the last Blue Demons loss to the Ramblers was an 87-59 decision at Loyola on Dec. 12, 1993... a year ago, took a 53-26 lead at halftime in a 93-51 win at McGrath Arena... China Threatt led four Blue Demons in double-figures with 16 points.
Against the Horizon League: DePaul is 118-30 (.797) all-time against the current line-up of Horizon League programs... the Blue Demons are also scheduled to play UIC (Dec. 22) and Green Bay (Dec. 29) this season.
Against the State: DePaul has seen recent success against opponents from the state of Illinois. Over the last 47 games against Chicago State, Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern and Southern Illinois, the Blue Demons have posted 46 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 53 of the last 55 games against state opponents and currently holds a 32-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 55-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: A win would increase DePaul’s streak to 33 consecutive wins over opponents from Illinois... a three-pointer increases DePaul’s streak to 115 straight games with a three... a victory would also be the first road win for the Blue Demons this season.
Demon Doings: Notes following the 85-42 win against Southern Illinois on Dec. 5:
- Friday’s game was DePaul’s fourth annual Field Trip Day’... the Blue Demons are 4-0 all-time on the annual day at McGrath Arena.
- The win was the 615th in program history... DePaul is 615-366 all-time in 981 games... Doug Bruno notched his 420th victory at his alma mater this afternoon.
- The 52-point first half was a season high for points in half.
- DePaul has held six of its first eight opponents to less than 70 points... since the start of 2003-04 season (167 games), the Blue Demons are 91-14 (.867) when holding the opposition to under 70.
- The Blue Demons ran their streak to 32 consecutive wins over opponents from Illinois with the win over the Salukis... DePaul has now won 46 of the last 47 and 53 of the previous 55 games against Illinois schools.
- At McGrath Arena, Depaul improves to 97-17 overall, 48-5 against non-conference opponents and 92-7 against unranked teams.
- Natasha Williams recorded her first double-double of the season (fifth career) with 18 points and 10 rebounds... both totals are season highs... the double-double also marks the second straight game with a DePaul player to record the feat (last, Deirdre Naughton, 14 pts./10 rebs. at Tennessee - Nov. 30, 2008).
- Southern Illinois was held to a season-low 45 points.
- DePaul now leads the series, 7-3... the Blue Demons are 5-0 at home... DePaul has won each of the last seven meetings between the two schools.
- The Blue Demons are 34-10 all-time against teams from the Missouri Valley Conference... DePaul has defeated Illinois State and Southern Illinois and travel to Missouri State on Dec. 10 to round out the Missouri Valley opponents this season.
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 Loyola:
- 114 consecutive games with a three-pointer
- 32 straight wins against opponents from Illinois, 45 of the last 46, and 53 wins in the last 55
- 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 761 trifectas compared to just 524 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 373 of the last 374 games. DePaul enters Sunday’s game at Loyola with a streak of 114 consecutive games with a three-pointer.
Through eight games in the 2008-09 campaign, the Blue Demons have totaled 37 three’s while the opposition has combined for 40 three-pointers. DePaul’s 4.6 three’s per game is below the 7.9 three-point field goal average last season when the Blue Demons tallied a school-record 252 three’s in 32 games.
Tournament Recaps: The Blue Demons opened the 2008-09 campaign with a pair of tournaments for five games in eight days. DePaul 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. Keisha Hampton and Deirdre Naughton were named to the All-Tournament Team.
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. Naughton was named MVP of the tournament while Hampton and Sam Quigley picked up All-Tournament honors.
