DePaul Faces Georgetown in Nation's Capital
12/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 31, 2010
| DePaul (6-7, 0-1 BIG EAST) at #9/9 Georgetown (11-2, 0-1 BIG EAST) | |
| Date & Time | Saturday, Jan. 1 at 1 p.m. ET |
| Verizon Center Information | Tickets | Directions & Parking |
| TV | BIG EAST Network (PbP: Doug Sherman | Analyst: Bob Wenzel) |
| Chicago: The U Too | |
| ESPN FULL COURT | DIRECTV: Ch. 720 | DISH Network: Ch. 457 |
| Online Video | ESPN3.com |
| Radio | WSCR 670 AM (PbP: Zach Zaidman | Analyst: Laurence Holmes) |
| Online Audio | BlueTube |
| Satellite Radio | Sirius: 121 | XM: 141 (Georgetown broadcast) |
| Live Stats | Gametracker |
| Twitter Updates | @depaulsid |
| DePaul Information | Game Notes |
Georgetown Information | Game Notes |
CHICAGO - DePaul concludes its two-game road swing to open the BIG EAST schedule with a Saturday matinee at Georgetown. The Blue Demons began the conference slate with a 76-60 loss at Cincinnati on Tuesday. Start time at Verizon Center is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET between the Blue Demons and Hoyas. DePaul opens the home portion of the BIG EAST schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 4 against West Virginia at Allstate Arena.
The Blue Demons concluded non-conference action with a three-game winning streak and are 6-7 overall following the loss at Cincinnati on Tuesday. Georgetown - ranked No. 9 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls - is 11-2 and 0-1 in BIG EAST play after falling at No. 15/15 Notre Dame on Wednesday. The Irish defeated the Hoyas, 69-55, in South Bend.
All of the action can be heard on WSCR 670 The Score in Chicagoland with Zach Zaidman (play-by-play) and Laurence Holmes (analyst). Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Bob Wenzel (analyst) take care of the broadcasting duties on the BIG EAST Network. Locally in Chicago, the game can be seen on The U Too. For Chicagoland viewers watching with an antenna, the over-the-air digital position is The U Too 26.2. Chicagoland cable subscribers will see The U Too on Comcast 248, RCN 35 and WOW 170. The game is also available on ESPN's FULL COURT package and online at www.espn3.com. In-game scoring updates and notes can be followed as well at www.twitter.com/depaulsid.
Following the Georgetown, the Blue Demons open the home portion of the conference schedule on Tuesday night against West Virginia. The Mountaineers visit Allstate Arena for an 8 p.m. contest on the BIG EAST Network. That game can also be heard on 670 The Score with Zaidman and Holmes.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,371-844 (.619) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 530 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the Dec. 22 game against Florida Atlantic was the 430th for DePaul at Allstate Arena... the Blue Demons are 307-123 (.714) all-time in Rosemont... DePaul is 3-1 all-time in games at McGrath Arena... DePaul has: trailed at halftime in seven games, been outrebounded in 11 games, allowed opponent to shoot .400 or better in 11 games, and forced 20 or more turnovers in five games this season... the Blue Demons have used three different starting line-ups this season... in four games this season, DePaul has overcome a deficit of eight or more points... the Blue Demons trailed Oklahoma State (8 pts. with 5:54 left in first half), Stanford (11 pts. with 13:56 left in first half), Central Michigan (14 pts. with 8:16 left in first half) and Ball State (10 pts. with 17:54 left in second half)... two players have recorded a four-point play this season... Cleveland Melvin was intentionally fouled a lay-up and made the two free throws against Ball State on Dec. 11... Jeremiah Kelly was fouled on a three-pointer and made the free throw against Loyola-Chicago on Dec. 18.
Opponent No. 14 - Georgetown Hoyas: Georgetown opened BIG EAST play with a 69-55 loss at Notre Dame on Wednesday night... the Hoyas are currently ranked ninth in both national polls... overall, Georgetown is 11-2... Austin Freeman leads three players averaging in double-figures with 19.1 points per game... he is followed by Jason Clark (13.2 ppg) and Chris Wright (12.8 ppg)... Wright also leads the club with 82 assists while Freeman has a team-high 30 three-pointers... Julian Vaughn is the top rebounder with 6.7 boards per game along with a 9.0 scoring average... head coach John Thompson III is in his seventh season at Georgetown.
The Series: Saturday is the 25th all-time meeting between the two programs... Georgetown has won nine straight meetings and leads the series overall, 18-6... in BIG EAST play, the Hoyas have posted victories in each of the five meetings... DePaul's last win in the series was a 78-51 decision in Rosemont on Jan. 22, 1994.
The Last Meeting: No. 13/13 Georgetown handed DePaul a 67-50 decision on Jan. 3, 2010 at Allstate Arena... the Hoyas shot .571 from the field in the game and had four players reach double-figures... Chris Wright led all scorers with 18 points... Austin Freeman added 17, Jason Clark scored 13 and Greg Monroe chipped in 10 points... Mac Koshwal led the Blue Demons with 16 points and eight rebounds... after trailing early, DePaul closed to within 27-25 before an 8-0 run Georgetown to close the first half.
It Could Happen: A win would end a 24-game losing streak in road games... DePaul's last regular-season road win was Nov. 22, 2008 at UIC by a 67-63 score... a win would also end a 14-game losing streak against BIG EAST opponents (13 regular-season games/1 BIG EAST Championship game)... a loss would be the 10th straight for DePaul against Georgetown.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 76-60 loss at Cincinnati on Dec. 28:
- The Blue Demons are 1-5 all-time in BIG EAST openers... DePaul has dropped three straight BIG EAST first games of the season.
- DePaul totaled a season-high 40 rebounds.
- Cleveland Melvin posted his sixth straight game in double-figures (seventh double-figure game overall)... Tony Freeland scored in double-figures for the eighth time in nine games (nine this season/10 in career).
- The Blue Demons extended their streak with at least one three-pointer to 530 straight games.
- The loss was the 24th straight on the road and the 14th straight against a BIG EAST opponent.
- Jeremiah Kelly made his 20th consecutive start.
- DePaul forced just eight turnovers - a season low... previously two opponents committed a low of 13 turnovers this season.
- DePaul's .417 (5-12) free throw percentage was a season low.
- DePaul's five wins in December are the most since a 7-1 record in December during the 2006-07 season... the Blue Demons finished the month at 5-3.
- Cincinnati is off to its best start since the 2003-04 season.
- Tuesday was the 47th all-time meeting between the two programs... Cincinnati leads the series, 32-15.
Rookies of the Week: DePaul freshmen Cleveland Melvin and Brandon Young have each picked up BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors this season marking the first time that two DePaul freshman have earned the league's weekly honor in the same season.
Young was selected on Dec. 6 after games against Northern Illinois and Central Michigan. He scored all 17 of his points in the second half against Northern Illinois on Dec. 2 before erupting for a career-high 31 points against Central Michigan on Dec. 5. The Baltimore native totaled 31 points by going 9-for-11 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the three-point line. He also knocked down 7-of-10 free throws and added two rebounds and two steals.
Melvin was named the BIG EAST's Rookie of the Week on Dec. 27 following a career-high 23 points against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 22. He added four rebounds to his career-high scoring total along with two steals, a blocked shot and an assist in 27 minutes of action. Midway through the first half Melvin personally outscored Florida Atlantic, 13-12.
Melvin and Young are the third and fourth Blue Demon freshman to earn the league's Rookie of the Week recognition joining Wilson Chandler (twice in 2005-06) and Dar Tucker (once in 2007-08).
