DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Tangles with Rival Marquette on Saturday
2/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO -- The DePaul women's basketball team looks to snap its two-game losing streak when it hits the road for a BIG EAST Conference game at rival Marquette on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on BIG EAST TV, while it can be seen in Chicago on Comcast Sports Net on a tape delay at 4 p.m. Beth Mowins and Meg Bulger will handle the announcing duties for BIG EAST TV while Dave Bernhard will call the action live for www.DePaulBlueDemons.com. Bernhard's pregame show is set to begin at 12:45 p.m.
Saturday marks the second time this season that the Blue Demons and Golden Eagles have met on the court. DePaul topped Marquette 73-63 on Jan. 31 in Lincoln Park, while the Blue Demons hold a 31-20 series advantage and has won the last three meetings.
In a series that dates back to 1978, the two programs have been conference rivals since the 1987 season. Both DePaul and Marquette were members of the North Star, Great Midwest Conference, Conference USA and now the BIG EAST while Marquette did moved to the Midwestern Collegiate Conference for the 1989-90 and 90-91 seasons, but the two programs still played as nonconference rivals.
DePaul is led by junior guard Sam Quigley and freshman forward Katherine Harry. Quigley, who runs the point, guides the Blue Demons with 14.2 points and 5.1 assists per game. Quigley does not get much rest as the Joliet, Illinois native averages 38.2 minutes per game and has played all but eight minutes of BIG EAST action.
Harry has made an immediate impact since entering the starting lineup in December. The 6-3 forward is the only freshman in the BIG EAST to be ranked in the top 10 in rebounding. Harry has registered three, 18 rebound performances while the freshman ranks sixth in league with 8.2 rebounds per game. Even more impressive is that Harry is averaging 9.3 boards in conference games.
Marquette is led by Angel Robinson's 13.3 points per game while Jessica Pachko registers 11.1 points and a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game.
Following Saturday's game, the Blue Demons return to McGrath Arena for a Tuesday tilt with Pittsburgh. The game can be seen live on CBS College Sports with the tip set for 8 p.m.
DePaul/Marquette BIG EAST TV Clearances: SportsNet New York (Live); Time Warner Cable Sports32, Wisconsin (Live); Mid-Atlantic Sports Network/MASN (Live); FSN Pittsburgh (Live); Bright House Sports Network /Tampa (Live); Cox Sports Television/LA-FLA-TX (Live); Time Warner Cable/ Syracuse-Albany (Live), Rochester-Buffalo (Delay); ESPN Full Court (Live); Cox Sports Television New England (SDD 3:00 p.m.); Comcast SportsNet Chicago (SDD 4:00 p.m.); www.BigEast.tv
Noting the Blue Demons: DePaul is 649-383 (.629) all-time... the 2009-10 campaign is the 36th season of women's basketball at DePaul University... DePaul has made at least 200 3-pointers in a season the last 10 seasons... since the start of the 2003-04 season (217 games), the Blue Demons have held 64.5 percent of their opponents to less than 70 points (140-of-217)... in that span, DePaul is 119-21 (.850) when holding opponents to less than 70 points... DePaul has held 18 of its 26 opponents to less than 70 points this season... in the last five-plus seasons (181 games), the Blue Demons are 124-57 (.685)... in the last 59 home games against conference opponents, DePaul has posted 48 victories... over the last nine-plus seasons (309 games), DePaul has scored at least 80 points in 106 games... the Blue Demons hold a 101-5 (.953) record in those games... in the same span, DePaul is 42-1, including 40 straight wins, when scoring at least 90 points.
Pink Zone: DePaul head coach Doug Bruno reached into his own pockets when DePaul played Villanova in its third annual "Pink Zone" game on Feb. 6, 2010. Coach Bruno pledged to donate $1 for every pink shirt in the crowd and with 2,008 fans sporting pink, Coach donated $2,008 to breast cancer research. In the last three Pink Zone games sponsored by DePaul, Coach Bruno has personally donated over $9,000 to breast cancer research. The Blue Demons defeated Villanova 64-60 this season.
It could happen: The game is No. 1033 in DePaul women's basketball history... Quigley could start her 63rd consecutive game, the longest active streak on the team... with one assist, Quigley has dished out an assist in her last 56 games... Chester needs four block to tie for 10th in DePaul's single-season block record... Cathy Pezdirtz (1992-93) had 40 blocks.
Recapping Notre Dame: ND used a 12-2 run to break a 30-30 tie in the final 3:40 of the fi rst half and held a 42-32 lead at the intermission ... DPU cut it to seven in the opening minutes of the second half, but ND surged back and led by double-digits the rest of the way ... Keisha Hampton scored a career-high 28 points... 10-for-18 from the field... scored 13 first half points... 7-for-9 from the free throw line... Sam Quigley dished out a career-high eight assists... her previous high, seven she registered four previous times... Quigley has had at least one assist in her last 56 games... Quigley shot a career-high 22 shots from the field... Quilgey finished with 12 points... her sixth consecutive double-digit game... Quigley has reached double-digits 19 times this season... Katherine Harry and Keisha Hampton led DePaul with eight rebounds apiece... Deanna Ortiz tied a career-high with three rebounds... DePaul outrebounded ND 41-38... Notre Dame has won eight straight... improve to 13-0 on their home court this season... Becca Bruszewski led Notre Dame with a career-high 25 points... Notre Dame outscored DePaul 50-28 in the paint... Notre Dame has won the last four series meetings... DePaul still leads the all-time series 18-15.
Looking Ahead: DePaul returns home to McGrath Arena on Feb. 23 and welcomes Pittsburgh (CBSC) and then Syracuse on Feb. 27 which is Senior Day.
Charity Stripe Success: DePaul is ranked the 18th country and leads the BIG EAST with a .754 (316-for-419) free throw percentage... Sam Quigley ranks 66th in the nation and leads the Blue Demons with a .824 (98-for-119) free throw percentage... Quigley's free throw percentage ranks fifth in the BIG EAST... DePaul started the season with a 17-for-18 (.944) effort against Central Michigan... against Rutgers was 9-for-10 with Keisha Hampton hitting 8-of-8 for a season-best... shot over .750 in 16 games this season... nine Blue Demons have recorded a 1.000 free throw percentage (min. 2 attempts) 38 times this season... Quigley has 10 perfect efforts while Felicia Chester and Hampton each have six perfect games.
Nice Pass: Sam Quigley ranks 36th in the country with 5.1 assists per game... ranks second in league behind West Virginia's Sarah Miles (6.1 apg)... Quigley ranks No. 133 in the country in assist to turnover ratio... the junior leads the Blue Demons with 132 assists while she has turned over the ball just 99 times for a 1.33 assist to turnover ratio... Quigley has led the Blue Demons in assists 20 times... had a career-best eight assists at Notre Dame... has had at least one assist in her last 55 games.
All the Minutes: Sam Quigley leads the BIG EAST by averaging 38.2 minutes per game... Quigley has played 12 complete games this season and 15 in her career... the junior averages a league best 40.2 minutes in BIG EAST games this season (DePaul played two overtime games in league play)... in her last 13 games, Quigley has sat just eight minutes and played all available minutes at Rutgers, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Cincinnati, Marquette, at Providence, against Connecticut and at Notre Dame... played five consecutive 40 minute games before getting a minute break against Villanova... played 992 of a possible 1045 minutes this season.
Martin Moments: Martin has started the last 20 games for the Blue Demons... fourth on the team with 9.5 points per game... second the team with 30, 3-pointers... reached double-digits in eight of her last 15 games... career-high 19 points at Green Bay... grabbed a team-best eight rebounds at Northern Illinois... entered the starting lineup against Northern Illinois after Deirdre Naughton suffered a season-ending knee injury... had at least one steal in 11 of DePaul's 12 BIG EAST games.
Hanging on the freshman Harry: Freshman forward Katherine Harry entered the starting lineup against Arkansas on Dec. 19... named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Feb. 2... career-high with 18 boards in DePaul's wins over UNLV (Dec. 21), Cornell (Nov. 20) and Cincinnati (Jan. 27)... has nine double-figure rebound performances... eight double-digit scoring performances including a career-high 18 against Villanova... five double-doubles this season... recorded double-figure rebounds in three of her last five games... only freshman in the BIG EAST to rank in the top 10 in rebounding in all-games and in BIG EAST only games... ranks sixth in the league with 8.2 rpg... ranks fourth in BIG EAST only games (behind Jessica Lawson - USF (10.6) Monique Reid - Louisville (10.2) and Chesea Cole - Pittsburgh (9.4) with 9.3 rebounds per game... ranks No. 85 in the nation with 8.2 rebounds per game... third on the team with 27 blocks
Block Party: DePaul averages 4.1 blocks per game and has swatted 106 shots this season... ranks fourth in the BIG EAST with 4.8 blocks in league games... only team in the BIG EAST to have three players ranked in the top 15 for blocks per game... Felicia Chester leads the trio with 36 blocks (1.4 bpg), followed by Keisha Hampton with 28 blocks (1.1 bpg) and Katherine Harry with 26 (1.0 bpg)... DePaul had a season-high eight blocks against Marquette on Jan. 31... had six or more blocks six times this season.
Coaching on the same side, coaching separately: DePaul head coach Doug Bruno and Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma's coached on opposite benches for their conference tilt on Feb. 10, however; Bruno is Auriemma's assistant for Team USA. Auriemma, who was named the head coach for the 2010 Women's Basketball World Championship, brought Bruno on as his assistant in September of 2009.
Coach Doug Bruno Court: Beginning in the 2010-11 season, the Blue Demons will play their home games at McGrath Arena on Coach Doug Bruno Court. DePaul's Director of Athletics, Jean Lenti Ponsetto made the announcement on Nov. 16. The 2010-11 season will also mark Coach Bruno's 25th season at DePaul while he is also on track to record his 500th career win that season.
Against Ranked Opponents this season: DePaul has faced six nationally ranked opponents this season... 1-5 against ranked opponents this season... five of those five contests have been on the road or on a neutral court... played road games at then-No. 2 Stanford (Dec. 13), then-No. 22/17 West Virginia (Jan. 9), at then-No. 19/18 Georgetown (Jan. 23) and at No. 4/3 Notre Dame (Feb.14)... won against then-No. 10/6 Florida State (Dec. 20) at the Duel in the Desert Tournament in Las Vegas.
Injury Report - Naughton, Threatt & Pierson: Deirdre Naughton will miss the remainder of the 2009-10 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee. Naughton, who entered the Northwestern game averaging 17.5 points per game this season, injured her knee in the first half of No. 15/21 DePaul's 59-55 loss to the Wildcats on Nov. 24. "Deirdre Naughton has been the heart and soul of this basketball team," Blue Demons head coach Doug Bruno said. "To lose her for the season is a devastating blow to this team. Every team in the nation at one time or another has been forced to deal with the adversity of injuries. Losing Deirdre Naughton will test the metal of this year's ballclub and we do expect every member of our team to step up in her absence." Naughton, was named to the preseason Wade Watch and was a Naismith Trophy and John R. Wooden candidate prior to the 2009-10 season. A second team All-BIG EAST Conference selection and Associated Press All-American honorable mention as a junior, Naughton has scored 1,470 points in her career. She played her freshman season at Wake Forest in 2005-06 before transferring to DePaul.
China Threatt - last season's BIG EAST Sixth Man of the Year - and Rachel Pierson have been sidelined by injuries. Threatt suffered a career-ending knee injury while Pierson is out with a back injury.
LPTV: DePaul has partnered with LPTV and will play four games on that station. LPTV is one of Chicago's Public television stations and broadcasted DePaul's win over San Diego and UIC. The Blue Demons games with BIG EAST Conference foes, Connecticut and West Virginia will also be carried on LPTV. DePaul is 2-2 when playing on LPTV.
Home Cookin': Through nine-plus seasons, McGrath Arena - formerly known as the DePaul Athletic Center - has proven itself as one of the toughest venues in the nation. The Blue Demons have posted a 116-21 (.847) record in the arena's 137 games. DePaul's .848 winning percentage entering the 2009-10 season ranks ninth among all active arenas and 11th all-time.
Beginning its 36th season of women's basketball at DePaul University, the Blue Demons have an all-time home court record of 380-105 (.784). Over 26 seasons at Alumni Hall, the women's basketball program won over 75 percent of its games with a 242-80 all-time record. At the Allstate Arena, the women's program has posted an all-time record of 22-4.
There have been 15 streaks of at least 10 straight home victories. The longest streak was the 33-game run that started on Dec. 19, 2003 with a 99-63 win over Alabama State and ended on Jan. 28, 2006 with an 84-75 defeat to #5/4 Connecticut. The Blue Demons' 11-game winning streak dating back to the 2006-07 season ended on Jan. 2, 2008 with the 102-68 loss to #3/3 Tennessee.
Over the last seven-plus years at McGrath Arena, the team is 94-14 at home with five losses to teams ranked in the top five. DePaul lost in overtime to #2/2 Tennessee on Dec. 17, 2003, before the Connecticut loss in Jan. 2006. Tennessee, ranked third in both polls, served DePaul its fifth defeat before the 77-76 loss to #1/1 Connecticut on Mar. 1, 2008. Maybe more impressive is that the Blue Demons' average margin of victory during that span that 20.3 points per game.
The Blue Demons have also posted 93 victories in the last 96 games over unranked opponents. West Virginia ended DePaul's 58-game streak over unranked opponents with a 74-63 decision on Jan. 9, 2007 before Pittsburgh and Louisville handed the Blue Demons defeats in 2007-08. During the 58-game streak, there were 54 victories at McGrath Arena and four wins at the Allstate Arena.
Taking Advantage from Beyond the Arc: Since the start of the 2005-06 season (157 games), the club has knocked down 1043 trifectas compared to just 790 for the opposition... with three 3-pointers against San Diego State at the NCAA Championship in San Diego, the team clinched the 10th straight year with at least 200 three-pointers... a 0-for-8 showing against Houston on Feb. 11, 2005, ended DePaul's streak with a three-pointer at 259 games... at the time, it was the nation's seventh-longest active streak... more recently, the Blue Demons 0-14 showing at Northern Illinois ended a 144 game streak with a 3-pointer, while they were 0-11 against Arkansas... including the Houston, Northern Illinois and Arkansas games, the Blue Demons have tallied a three-pointer in 422 of the last 425 games.
Regular Season Tournament History: DePaul is 71-26 all-time in regular season tournaments dating back to 1980-81 season... DePaul has played in 44 regular season tournaments and won 24... finished in second eight times... earlier this season won the Maggie Dixon Classic.
Duel in the Desert Recap: DePaul won its second tournament of the 2009-10 season with wins over Arkansas, No. 10/6 Florida State and host UNLV... Sam Quigley was named the tournament's MVP while Anna Martin earned all-tournament honors... the Blue Demons opened the tournament with a slim 46-45 victory over Arkansas... Maureen Mulchrone came off the bench to lead the Blue Demons with 11 points while Katherine Harry had 10 rebounds... DePaul defeated No. 10/6 Florida State 75-60 to reach the Championship game... DePaul trailed for just the 4:32 before taking the lead for good... led 37-29 at the half and led by as many at 19... overpowered UNLV 82-48 for the Championship... Harry led the floor with 18 rebounds and Martin had 18 points.
Maggie Dixon Recap: DePaul won the inaugural Maggie Dixon Classic in the Midwest with wins over Cornell and San Diego. Formally known as the DePaul Invitational, the Maggie Dixon Classic honors former Blue Demon assistant coach Maggie Dixon, who died on April 6, 2006 of an arrhythmia. Dixon's tragic death came three weeks after her first season as the head coach at Army which saw the Black Knights win the Patriot League Championship and make the program's first trip to the NCAA Championship. The Classic is the third tournament to be named after the former Blue Demon assistant and Army head coach. Jamie Dixon, the head coach at Pittsburgh hosts a tournament at Madison Square Garden, while San Diego, Dixon's alma mater also hosts a tournament in Dixon's name.
The Blue Demons defeated Cornell, 89-50 while the biggest story of the night was freshman Katherine Harry's 18 rebounds. Harry's 18 boards were the most by a Blue Demon player since Erin Carney grabbed 19 at Oklahoma. Deirdre Naughton scored 24 as the Blue Demons claimed the Championship with an 84-64 win over San Diego. Naughton earned MVP honors while Felicia Chester and Keisha Hampton were named to the All-Tournament team.
Marching Along: DePaul made its seventh consecutive and the program's 14th NCAA Championship appearance in 2009... Blue Demons were one of seven BIG EAST programs in the field of 64... the conference led all leagues along with the Big 12 with teams earning bids... the program is 7-14 (.333) all-time in NCAA Championship play... DePaul is one of 14 teams to appear in each of the last seven tournaments... joining the Blue Demons on the list of 14 teams with seven straight NCAA's are Connecticut, Duke, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Purdue, Rutgers, Stanford, Tennessee and Vanderbilt... the seven straight appearances are a program record for consecutive NCAA's... DePaul earned four consecutive NCAA berths from 1990-93 followed by a three-year run from 1995-97... the program is 4-8 entering in its last seven tournament appearances, including a 2006 NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance in San Antonio, Texas.
