DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Pittsburgh
Blue Demons Show Mettle in the Steel City
12/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 7, 2010
PITTSBURGH - No. 24 DePaul was ready to open its BIG EAST Conference season in style.
The Blue Demons came out to the "Steel City" and forged a 67-51 victory over Pittsburgh Tuesday night in the Petersen Events Center.
It was their sixth win in a row and improved their record to 9-1.
Sam Quigley led DePaul with 17 points and season-high nine assists and became the 24th Blue Demon to score 1,000 career points. Keisha Hampton scored 15 points and needs 18 more points to become No. 25. Deirdre Naughton reached the 1,000-point plateau last season.
"Sam Quigley was sick, and we didn't know if she'd play tonight," said DePaul coach Doug Bruno. "She came out and played great tonight. She is just a special captain and a very special young woman.
"I'm so proud to be her coach."
A pair of three-pointers by Quigley and another by Hampton in the middle of the second half gave the Blue Demons a 57-37 lead. DePaul's quickness and outside shooting gave Pittsburgh (4-4, 0-1 in the BIG EAST) problems in the second half.
DePaul led by as much as 13 points in the first half and went into their halftime locker room with a 32-23 advantage. Hampton had 12 points in the first 20 minutes and Quigley had five assists.
About two hours before tipoff, the news broke that Pitt football coach and ex-Bears coach Dave Wannstedt was resigning after six seasons, sending a ripple through the offices at the Petersen Events Center.
DePaul came into Tuesday night's game having won five in a row. The Blue Demons beat Illinois-Chicago by 21 points, Northwestern State by 37, UC Riverside by 44, Illinois State by 17 and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville by 36.
That's an average of 31 points per game.
Up next for the Blue Demons is a 7 p.m. game Thursday at Loyola-Chicago.
Notes: Sam Quigley becomes DePaul's 24th 1,000 points scorer... led DePaul with 17 points and now has 1,016 career points... Quigley also dished out a season-high nine assists... Taylor Pikes led DePaul with 10 rebounds... her fifth career, double-figure rebound game... Doug Bruno won his 508th career coaching victory... Felicia Chester played in her 110th, Quigley in her 109th and China Threatt and Deirdre Naughton each played in their 100th career game... Quigley started her 79 consecutive game and Keisha Hampton started her 76th... Hampton had 15 points and now need 18 points to become DePaul's 25th 1,000 points scorer... with four 3-pointers Quigley now ranks 11th on DePual's career 3-point list with 135... DePaul is now 3-3 in BIG EAST Conference openers and improves to 2-0 in conference openers for against Pittsburgh... DePaul now leads the all-time series with Pittsburgh 5-4.
