DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Travels to Missouri State
12/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - The DePaul Blue Demons play one of just two non-Illinois opponents of December with a Wednesday trip to Missouri State. The Blue Demons and Lady Bears tangle at JQH Arena at 7:05 p.m.
A stretch of six games with five opponents from the state of Illinois started Dec. 5 with an 85-42 win over Southern Illinois. DePaul enters this Sunday’s Northwestern game with a 33-game winning streak against state schools. The Blue Demons also face Northern Illinois (Dec. 18) and UIC (Dec. 22) with the lone non-Illinois game at Missouri State on Dec. 10.
Following Wednesday’s action, DePaul hosts Northwestern at McGrath Arena on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff in Lincoln Park is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Noting the Blue Demons: DePaul is 616-366 (.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 (168 games), the Blue Demons have held 63.1 percent of their opponents to less than 70 points (106-of-168)... in that span, DePaul is 92-14 (.868) when holding opponents to less than 70 points... DePaul has held seven of its first nine opponents to less than 70 this season... in the last three-plus seasons, the Blue Demons are 73-34 (.682)... in the last 45 home games against conference opponents, DePaul has posted 37 victories... over the last eight-plus seasons (261 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 10 - Missouri State Lady Bears: Missouri State stands at 1-6 following a 77-70 loss to Western Kentucky on Sunday... the Lady Bears have dropped four straight after a 61-52 win against Arkansas State on Nov. 23... Casey Garrison leads the team with 17.3 points per game... she also averages a team-best 6.7 rebounds per contest... Missouri State returns six players and two starters from last season’s 11-19 squad... head coach Nyla Milleson is in her second season at Missouri State.
The Series - DePaul leads 3-0: Wednesday is the fourth meeting between the two programs... the two sides have played every season since 2005-06... the Blue Demons have won all three meetings... a year ago, DePaul posted an 80-48 win at McGrath Arena... the win was No. 400 for Doug Bruno at DePaul... the Blue Demons opened up an eight-point lead with a 50-26 margin in the second half... Deirdre Naughton scored 20 points to lead the Blue Demons.
Against the Missouri Valley Conference: DePaul is 34-10 (.773) all-time against the current line-up of Missouri Valley programs... the Lady Bears are the third of three Missouri Valley opponents this season... DePaul topped Illinois State, 80-68, on Nov. 28 and topped Southern Illinois, 85-42, on Dec. 5.
It Could Happen: A win would improve DePaul to 4-0 all-time against Missouri State... Wednesday’s game is No. 90 for Erin Cattell... Natasha Williams needs 10 for 700 in her collegiate career... she has totaled 417 in 41 games at DePaul and compiled 273 points in 51 games at Minnesota.
Demon Doings: Notes following the 68-64 win at Loyola-Chicago on Dec. 7:
- The Blue Demons extended their streak to 33 straight wins over opponents from Illinois... DePaul has won 47 of the last 48 and 54 of the last 56 games against Illinois programs.
- DePaul is now 1-2 when scoring less than 70 points this season... the Blue Demons have held seven of nine opponents this season to less than 70 points.
- DePaul’s streak with a three-pointer continued to 115 consecutive games.
- The victory was the first true road win of the season.
- Deirdre Naughton has led the team in assists in the last four games and six of nine games this season... she has led the club in scoring on five occasions.
- DePaul now leads the series, 32-9... the Blue Demons have won 15 straight and 21 of the last 24 meetings... the four-point margin of victory was the closest game between the two teams since a 58-55 win for DePaul on Jan. 4, 1992 at Loyola... in that span, the Blue Demons won 15 of 16 games... DePaul is 119-30 all-time against the current line-up of Horizon League programs.
BIG EAST Beast: Through four weeks of play, the 16 teams in the BIG EAST Conference hold an impressive .790 (98-26) winning percentage in non-conference play. This week’s ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll features five BIG EAST schools in the top 20 and the AP top 25 has five teams from league schools among the top 16. Led by No. 1/1 Connecticut, Notre Dame stands No. 8 in the AP poll and in the No. 8 position in the ESPN/USA Today poll. Louisville sits at No. 12 in the AP rankings and at No. 13 in ESPN/USA Today, while Rutgers is No. 14 in the AP poll and No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. Pittsburgh jumped into the AP poll last week and is at No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 20 in coaches’ poll.
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 Wednesday’s game at Missouri State:
- 115 consecutive games with a three-pointer
- 33 straight wins against opponents from Illinois, 46 of the last 47, and 54 wins in the last 56
- six straight NCAA Championship appearances
- nine seasons in-a-row with at least 200 three-pointers