DePaul University Athletics
DePaul vs. Notre Dame: 100th Edition on Saturday
1/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
DePaul is 8-10 overall and 1-5 in BIG EAST action following Wednesday's win over Marquette at Allstate Arena. The Blue Demons finished the non-conference portion of the regular-season schedule with a 7-5 record. DePaul dropped two of the last three non-conference games after starting the season with a 5-1 record. DePaul posted a 4-1 record in November before a 3-5 mark in December.
Notre Dame is 14-5 overall and 3-3 in BIG EAST games following an 84-71 loss against No. 5/5 Syracuse on Monday. The Fighting Irish are receiving votes in this week's ESPN/USA Today Top 25, but have dropped their last two outings. Saturday's game is the 100th meeting between DePaul and Notre Dame with the Fighting Irish holding a 55-44 advantage in the series.
The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET start at Purcell Pavilion and can be seen in Chicago on ThisTV as part of the BIG EAST Network with Lou Canellis (play-by-play) and LaPhonso Ellis (analyst) handling the television duties. On the radio, the game can be found on WSCR "The Score" (670 AM) and online on Blue Tube at www.depaulbluedemons.com. Zach Zaidman (play-by-play) and Laurence Holmes (analyst) call all the action beginning with the pre-game show at 1:45 p.m. ET. In-game scoring updates and notes can also be found at www.twitter.com/depaulsid.
Following the Notre Dame game, the Blue Demons host games next week at Allstate Arena against West Virginia and Syracuse. The Mountaineers visit Rosemont on Tuesday night before the Orange travels to the Midwest for a Saturday afternoon game.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,365-823 (.624) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 508 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... 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... 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... the 51-50 win over Marquette on Jan. 20 ended DePaul's 24-game losing streak in BIG EAST regular-season games... the program finished the decade from Jan. 1, 2000-Dec. 31, 2009 with a 149-158 (.485) record.
The Opponent - Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Notre Dame enters Saturday's action with a 14-5 overall record and 3-3 mark in BIG EAST play... the Fighting Irish have dropped two straight including an 84-71 loss to No. 5/5 Syracuse on Monday night... Luke Harangody leads the team and BIG EAST with 24.7 points per game... he also added a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game... Tim Abromaitis adds 16.0 points per contest while Ben Hansbrough has a 11.5 scoring average... Abromaitis leads the club with 52 three-pointers while Tory Jackson has a team-high 108 assists... as a team, Notre Dame leads the league with 151 three-pointers... head coach Mike Brey is in his 10th season at Notre Dame.
The Series: The DePaul-Notre Dame series enters its 100th meeting on Saturday afternoon... Notre Dame holds a 55-44 advantage in the series... in BIG EAST play, the Fighting Irish have won five of seven games... DePaul is 13-34 all-time in games at Notre Dame... the Fighting Irish have won the last four meetings, including a 92-82 win at Allstate Arena last season in the BIG EAST opener for both teams on Dec. 31, 2008.
The Last Meeting: Luke Harangody scored 26 points and had 16 rebounds to lead No. 7/7 Notre Dame to a 92-82 win on Dec. 31, 2008 at Allstate Arena... leading 23-19 midway through the first half, Notre Dame extended its advantage with a 7-0 run... Zach Hillesland added a career-high 17 for the Irish as all five starters finished in double figures in scoring... Mac Koshwal led DePaul with 26 points and 11 rebounds... Dar Tucker scored 24 points for the Blue Demons... DePaul got within 67-59 with 8:40 left, but Notre Dame came back and took control of the game for good with a 11-4 run.
It Could Happen: A win would give DePaul back-to-back BIG EAST victories for the first time since the start of the 2007-08 conference schedule... the Blue Demons opened that BIG EAST slate with back-to-back wins over Villanova and Providence... DePaul defeated Villanova, 84-76, on Jan. 3, 2008 and Providence, 70-65, on Jan. 5... with 19 points, Will Walker moves into 31st on DePaul's all-time list passing Quentin Richardson (1998-00)... with five three-pointers, Walker takes over second all-time... with four steals, he moves into DePaul's top 10 in that category.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 51-50 win against Marquette on Jan. 20:
- The Blue Demons ended their BIG EAST losing streak at 24 straight games with the win... DePaul's last BIG EAST regular-season win was at Cincinnati on Mar. 6, 2008... the Blue Demons toped the Bearcats, 60-54.
- DePaul used its eighth different starting lineup.
- Will Walker moved into 33rd all-time on DePaul's career scoring chart... he has totaled 1,129 points in 110 career games.
- Krys Faber grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds... his previous high mark was eight against Saint Joseph's earlier this season at the Paradise Jam.
- Jeremiah Kelly posted his fourth game this season in double-figures (eighth career)... first since 12 points at Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 22... 50th career game.
- Mike Stovall has made 14 straight free throws and is 18-for-20 in the last three games... DePaul's seven free throw attempts matched a season low set against Georgetown on Jan. 3.
- The Golden Eagles made less than five three-pointers for just the fourth time this season.
- They were held to a season-low 50 points... the previous low was in a 57-56 loss to Florida State in the Old Spice Classic.
- Lazar Hayward made his 85th consecutive start... he moved into 12th on Marquette's career scoring chart with 1,576 points in 121 games.
- Wednesday was the 108th meeting between the two programs... Marquette leads the all-time series, 64-44... in BIG EAST play, the Golden Eagles have won five of seven meetings.
Iron Willed: Senior guard Will Walker leads the BIG EAST with 36.6 minutes per game. In each of the last two games, he hasn't left the floor and over the last five games he has played all but eight minutes. Walker started the run with 38 minutes against Georgetown before playing 37 in games at Villanova and against Providence. In the last two outings at St. John's and against Marquette, the senior has played all 40 minutes.
