DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demons Travel to Pitt for League Opener
12/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
DePaul finished the non-conference portion of the regular-season schedule with a 7-5 record. The Blue Demons dropped two of their last three games after starting the season with a 5-1 record. DePaul posted a 4-1 record in November with wins over Columbia, Northern Iowa, Saint Joseph's and Detroit. In December, the Blue Demons are 3-4 with wins over Alabama State and UIC sandwiching losses to Vanderbilt and Mississippi State before falling to American, defeating Texas State and dropping at road game at Florida Gulf Coast.
Pittsburgh is 10-2 overall and looking for its fourth straight victory. The Panthers opened the season with four straight wins before a loss to Texas. They followed that defeat with victories in six of the last seven games. Monday is the seventh meeting between DePaul and Pittsburgh. The Panthers hold a 5-1 advantage in the series with all five wins in BIG EAST play.The conference opener is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET start at the Petersen Events Center and can be seen on ESPNU. Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Bob Wenzel (analyst) handle the television duties from Pittsburgh. On the radio, the game can be found on WIND (560 AM) and online on Blue Tube at www.depaulbluedemons.com. Laurence Holmes (play-by-play) and Stephen Howard (analyst) call all the action beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. ET. In-game scoring updates and notes can also be found at www.twitter.com/depaulsid.
Following the Pittsburgh game, the Blue Demons host Georgetown in the BIG EAST home opener on Sunday, Jan. 3 at Allstate Arena. The game can be seen live on ThisTV in Chicago as part of the BIG EAST Network and heard live on WSCR (670 AM).
BIG EAST Openers: The Blue Demons are 1-3 in BIG EAST first games the 84-76 win over Villanova to start the 2007-08 conference schedule serving as the single victory. DePaul's league-opening win over the 17th-ranked Wildcats sparked a 3-1 BIG EAST start for DePaul to set the best conference start in program history.
A year ago, the Blue Demons dropped a 92-82 decision to then-No. 7/10 Notre Dame at Allstate Arena on Dec. 31, 2008. The Blue Demons have started the BIG EAST slate at Allstate Arena in each of the last two seasons after going on the road for the first two campaigns.
DePaul has been a member of a conference since the 1991-92 season starting with membership in the Great Midwest Conference followed by a 10-year run in Conference USA. The Blue Demons joined the BIG EAST in July 2005 and are 5-13 all-time in conference openers.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,364-818 (.625) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 502 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... Will Walker has started 45 straight games... the win over Columbia in the season opener ended an 18-game losing streak in regular-season games... the Blue Demons have won four of their first five games in two straight seasons... in three of Jerry Wainwright's four seasons at DePaul, the Blue Demons have defeated at least one top 25 opponent... DePaul has played its first home game on Nov. 17 in each of the last four seasons... the four turnovers against Alabama State on Dec. 2 were the fewest in a game since four miscues against Chaminade in the Maui Invitational on Nov. 21, 2006.
Opponent No. 13 - Pittsburgh Panthers: Pittsburgh enters BIG EAST play with a 10-2 overall record... the Panthers have won three straight including a 74-49 decision over Ohio on Dec. 22... Ashton Gibbs leads three players in double-figures with 16.4 points per game... Brad Wanamaker adds 13.3 points per outing... Gilbert Brown made his debut against Ohio and scored 11 points... Gary McGhee lead the Panthers with 7.3 rebounds per game to go along with a 7.3 scoring average... as a team, Pittsburgh is allowing just 56.2 points per game while outrebounding opponents by over eight boards per game... Jamie Dixon is in his seventh season as head coach at Pittsburgh.
The Series: Monday's game is the sixth meeting between the two programs... DePaul won the inaugural game in the 1935-36 season... the Panthers have won the last five meetings - all in BIG EAST action... a year ago, Pittsburgh swept the season series with a 92-69 win at Allstate Arena before a 80-61 win at the Petersen Events Center two weeks later... DePaul is 0-3 all-time at Pittsburgh.
The Last Meeting: DeJuan Blair posted a 20-point, 18-rebound double-double to lead the Panthers to a 80-61 win on Feb. 21, 2009 in Pittsburgh... a 16-2 run for Pittsburgh early in the second half extended a 40-30 halftime score... the Panthers held a 49-25 rebounding advantage while DePaul knocked down 11 three-pointers... Dar Tucker led four Blue Demons in double-figures with 18 points... Will Walker scored 17 points while Jeremiah Kelly added 11 and Mac Koshwal scored 10... Sam Young scored 16 for the Panthers.
It Could Happen: A win would make DePaul 2-3 in BIG EAST openers and 6-13 all-time in conference openers... a win would also end a 19-game losing streak in BIG EAST games... DePaul last BIG EAST regular-season win was a 60-54 win at Cincinnati on Mar. 6, 2008... Mac Koshwal needs four rebounds to move into 24th all-time and eight for 23rd in program history... with 26 points, Koshwal will reach 800 in his career... Will Walker needs 14 points to move into 42nd all-time, 17 for 41st and 20 for 40th place on DePaul's all-time scoring list... with four three-pointers, Walker will move into third in school history... the senior is playing in his 105th career game overall and his 50th BIG EAST game on Monday - both highs for any DePaul player.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 64-61 loss at Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 22:
- DePaul is 0-2 on the road this season... dating back to last season, the Blue Demons have dropped 13 straight road games.
- Mac Koshwal came off the bench and played for the first time since Nov. 22... he registered his third double-double of the season and the 19th of his career.
- Will Walker started his 45th straight game... with two three-pointers he claimed sole possession of fourth on DePaul's all-time list.
- DePaul allowed a season-high field goal percentage for an opponent... the Eagles shot an opponent season-high .490 (25-51) from the field.
- Reggie Chambers scored a career-high 20 points (third time) with a career-high seven assists (second time)... Anthony Banks tallied his first career double-double.
- The Eagles won their fourth straight game since starting the season 0-6.
- Tuesday was the second meeting between the two programs... each team has won on its home floor.
- DePaul is 6-1 all-time against teams from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Koshwal Cleared: DePaul junior Mac Koshwal was medically cleared to play starting with the Dec. 22 game at Florida Gulf Coast. The 6-10 forward/center was out of the lineup over eight games from Nov. 23-Dec.19 with a left foot injury. He returned with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench against the Eagles.
Koshwal posted a pair of double-doubles in the first three games this season and is averaging 15.3 points and 13.0 rebounds per outing. He put together a 19-rebound effort against Northern Iowa in the first game of the Paradise Jam to go along with 12 points after a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double in the opener against Columbia.
It was determined on Dec. 1 that Koshwal would miss up to three-to-four weeks with a left foot injury. He missed the Saint Joseph's and Detroit games in November followed by the Alabama State, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, UIC, American and Texas State games in December.
Not Like the Others: While allowing just 60.2 points per game over the first dozen contests, the Blue Demons are averaging only 61.3 points per game. The Blue Demons have scored more than 75 points on two occasions this season with a season-high 86 points in the win over Texas State. The 86-69 victory marked the highest-scoring output since a 90-67 win over Alcorn State on Dec. 28, 2008. More impressive in the game against the Bobcats was the 52 second-half points put on the board. The second half marked the most points in a half since scoring 60 against Notre Dame in the second half on Mar. 2, 2008. DePaul lost that game to the Irish, 98-91, at Allstate Arena.
Walker Moves into 1K Club: With a three-pointer early in the second half against UIC, senior guard Will Walker became the 45th player in program history to score 1,000 points. He finished the game against the Flames with 1,011 points and currently sits in 43rd place in DePaul history with 1,058 points in 104 career games.
Walker is the first DePaul player to reach 1,000 points since Draelon Burns reached the milestone. Burns finished his career ranked No. 18 over his four seasons from 2004-08 with 1,329 points. With 20 points on Monday at Pittsburgh, Walker could move into DePaul's top 40.
On the Rebound: Junior forward/center Mac Koshwal became just one of 14 players in DePaul history to grab at least 300 rebounds when he totaled 308 boards last season. His sophomore-year totals put him in a tie for 12th on DePaul season list and he is on pace to enter DePaul's top 10 in career rebounds this season after totaling 559 rebounds through his first two seasons.
Koshwal racked up 15 games last season with double-figure rebounds, including four games of at least 15 boards. Among the big rebounding games was a 22-rebound effort against Creighton in the championship game of the Las Vegas Classic.
In his four games this season, Koshwal is averaging 15.3 points and 13.0 rebounds per game. He pulled down 19 rebounds against Northern Iowa in the Paradise Jam and has three double-doubles this season. Koshwal missed eight games from Nov. 23-Dec. 19 with a left foot injury and returned to the court with a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double in 28 minutes of action at Florida Gulf Coast.