DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Hosts St. John's on Senior Night
3/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
DePaul is 8-21 overall and 1-16 in BIG EAST action following the 63-59 loss against USF on Tuesday night at Allstate Arena. The Blue Demons are looking to snap a season-high 11-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.
St. John's has dropped three straight heading into the game and four of the last five. The Red Storm enters the game with a 15-14 overall record and 5-12 mark in BIG EAST play. Friday's game is the 26th all-time meeting between the two programs with the Blue Demons holding a 14-11 advantage. St. John's claimed a 67-47 win in the first meeting this season on Jan. 17 at Carnesecca Arena.
The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start and can be seen on ThisTV in Chicago as part of the BIG EAST Network with Mike Gleason (play-by-play) and Mike Kelley (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 7:15 p.m. In-game scoring updates and notes can also be found at www.twitter.com/depaulsid.
Following the St. John's game, the Blue Demons head to New York City to open the 2010 BIG EAST Championship on Tuesday, Mar. 9. DePaul is the No. 16 seed in the tournament and will play at Noon ET on Tuesday. The opponent will be determined following the conclusion of the BIG EAST regular season Saturday night.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,365-834 (.621) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 519 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the Blue Demons have used 14 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 - St. John's Red Storm: St. John's enters Friday's action with a 15-14 overall record and 5-12 mark in BIG EAST play... the Red Storm has dropped three straight and four of the last five... St. John's has posted consecutive defeats to Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Marquette... D.J. Kennedy leads the team with 14.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game... head coach Norm Roberts is in his sixth season at St. John's.
The Series: DePaul and St. John's meet for the 26th time on Friday night... the Blue Demons hold a 14-11 advantage in the series... the Red Storm has claimed two straight meetings in the series including a 67-47 decision earlier this season... that game was played at Carnesecca Arena on Jan. 17... in BIG EAST play, the series is split at 3-3.
The Last Meeting: A five-minute scoreless stretch in the first half proved to be too much to overcome as DePaul fell, 67-47, at St. John's... the Red Storm scored 10 straight points during the drought to build a lead they would never relinquish... St. John's took a 31-20 advantage at the end of the first half and started the second stanza with a 22-4 run... Will Walker led the Blue Demons with 14 points while Mike Stovall added 11... Eric Wallace finished with six points and nine rebounds... Justin Burrell scored 11 points to lead St. John's... Justin Brownlee added 10 points.
It Could Happen: Mac Koshwal needs 12 points to become the 46th player in program history with 1,000 career points... he has totaled 988 points in 79 career games... Will Walker (1,331 pts.) needs four points to pass Terence Greene (1985-89) for 17th on the all-time scoring list... Devin Hill needs two blocked shots to move into 15th all-time... a win would end a season-high 11-game losing streak.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 63-59 loss against USF on Mar. 2:
- DePaul used its 14th different starting lineup of the season... Kene Obi made his fourth appearance of the season (first since playing four minutes at Notre Dame on Jan. 23).
- The Blue Demons are 6-5 when leading at the half this season... DePaul has dropped back-to-back games when leading at the half.
- Mac Koshwal recorded his fourth game this season (seventh career) with 20 or more points... he's scored at least 20 in four of the last five games.
- DePaul held an opponent to less than 70 points for the 20th time this season... the Blue Demons are 8-12 in those games.
- USF is 7-7 when trailing at halftime this season.
- Dominique Jones scored at least 20 points for the 17th time this season... he has reached double-figures in all but one game this season.
- Tuesday was the 22nd meeting between the two programs... DePaul leads the series, 15-7.
- USF has won three straight meetings... under Stan Heath, the Bulls are 2-1 against the Blue Demons.
- In BIG EAST play, DePaul holds a 4-3 advantage in the series.
