DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demons and Bulls in BIG EAST Play on Tuesday
3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - The DePaul Blue Demons conclude the regular-season schedule with a pair of home games this week against USF and St. John's. DePaul hosts the Bulls on Tuesday night before concluding the regular season on Friday night against the Red Storm.
DePaul is 8-20 overall and 1-15 in BIG EAST action following the 71-62 loss at Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at The RAC. The Blue Demons are looking to snap a season-high 10-game losing streak after posting a 1-7 mark in January. DePaul 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.
USF snapped a brief two-game losing streak on Feb. 27 with a 99-93 win over Providence. The Bulls enter Tuesday's action with a 17-11 overall record and 7-9 mark in BIG EAST play. Tuesday's game is the 22nd all-time meeting between the two programs with the Blue Demons holding a 15-6 advantage.
The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start and can be seen on ESPNU with Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and Brook Weisbrod (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 6:15 p.m. In-game scoring updates and notes can also be found at www.twitter.com/depaulsid.
Following the USF game, the Blue Demons conclude the regular-season schedule with a Friday night game against St. John's. Following the game, DePaul senior guard Will Walker will be honored in his final home game in a DePaul uniform. The BIG EAST Championship opens on Mar. 9 at Madison Square Garden. With the loss at Rutgers on Saturday, DePaul stands as the No. 16 seed in the tournament and plays in the Noon ET game on Tuesday to open the tournament.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,365-833 (.621) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 518 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the Blue Demons have used 13 different starting line-ups this season... 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... DePaul has allowed more than 70 points seven times this season and are 0-7 in those games... 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 back-to-back 20-loss seasons are the first since consecutive 20-loss campaigns in 1996-97 and 1997-98.
The Opponent - USF Bulls: USF enters Tuesday's action with a 17-11 overall record and 7-9 mark in BIG EAST play... the Bulls knocked off Providence, 99-93, on Feb. 27 to end a two-game skid that included losses to Villanova and St. John's... Dominique Jones leads the team with 21.4 points per game and 48 three-pointers... Augustus Gilchrist averages 15.0 points while Jarrid Famous checks in with 10.9 points and a team-high 7.6 rebounds per outing... Chris Howard shares the team lead with Jones with 106 assists while holding a scoring average of 10.5... head coach Stan Heath is in his third season at USF.
The Series: DePaul and USF meet for the 22nd time on Tuesday night... the Blue Demons hold a 15-6 advantage in the series... the Bulls claimed both meetings last season to end a six-game winning streak for DePaul in the series... USF posted an 80-58 decision at Allstate Arena on Jan. 10, 2009 followed by a 70-61 victory on Jan. 20 at the Sun Dome... in BIG EAST play, DePaul has won four of the six meetings.
The Last Meeting: DePaul erased a 12-point deficit, but couldn't hold on in a 70-61 loss at USF on Jan. 20, 2009... the Blue Demons trailed, 35-23, with 1:44 left in the first half... DePaul took a 38-37 advantage with 16:28 left in the second half... USF then scored 10 straight points to take control of the game... Dominique Jones tallied a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double... Augustus Gilchrist also registered a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards... Dar Tucker led DePaul with 19 points while Mac Koshwal added 17 points and eight rebounds... Will Walker scored 11.
It Could Happen: Will Walker (1,315 pts.) needs 15 points to pass Draelon Burns (2004-08) for 18th on DePaul's all-time scoring chart... with 20 points, he passes Terence Greene (1985-89) for 17th on the list... Devin Hill needs two blocked shots to move into 15th all-time... a win would end a season-high 10-game losing streak.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 71-62 loss at Rutgers on Feb. 27:
- Mac Koshwal moved into 12th on DePaul's career rebounding chart... Koshwal has totaled 719 rebounds in 78 career games... he also passed Mike Gillespie (1971-74) for 49th on the career scoring list... he finished the game with 964 career points... Koshwal recorded his third game this season (sixth career) with 20 or more points.
- The loss gives the Blue Demons a season-high 10-game losing streak... it was also the 22nd straight true road loss and the 18th consecutive loss in the month of February.
- DePaul allowed more than 70 points for just the eighth time in 28 games this season... the Blue Demons are 0-8 in those games.
- DePaul is now 2-7 this season when only one player scores in double-figures.
- The Blue Demons have recorded 20 losses in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1996-97 and 1997-98 campaigns.
- The Scarlet Knights are now 13-5 at home and 6-12 when trailing at halftime.
- Saturday was the sixth meeting between the two programs... Rutgers leads the series, 4-2.
- The Blue Demons are 1-2 all-time at The RAC.
- DePaul has led by 11 points at halftime in each of the last two meetings... Rutgers won both games.
