DePaul University Athletics
Women's Hoops Hosts Loyola on Saturday
12/6/2013 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 6, 2013
Notes: DePaul 
| Loyola
BlueTube: Audio | Gametracker | @DePaulWBBSID
CHICAGO - The DePaul women's basketball team will look to end its two-game skid when it welcomes Loyola to McGrath-Phillips Arena for a 7 p.m. tilt on Saturday. The 45th meeting in the "Battle of the Redline" will be carried on DePaul's BlueTube with Matt Rodewald and Trish Babcock McGraw calling the action courtside. Gametracker is also available while in-game scoring and notes can be followed at twitter.com/DePaulWBBSID.
DePaul (3-2) returns to McGrath-Phillips Arena after dropping its last two games on the road. The Blue Demons fell at then-No. 5/6 Notre Dame, 92-76 on Nov. 26 and at Northwestern, 82-79 on Dec. 1. In those two games Megan Rogowski paced DePaul's offense with 20.5 points and Megan Podkowa added 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.
Rogowski drained a career-best six triples at Northwestern on her way to a career-high 23 points against the Wildcats. Podkowa also recorded a career day in Evanston as the sophomore tallied a career-best 20 points. At Notre Dame, Podkowa registered her first career double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
On the year, DePaul is averaging 84.4 points which ranks 17th in Division I and tops in the BIG EAST Conference. The Blue Demons have scored 76 or more points in all five of their games and is averaging 89.0 points in games played at McGrath-Phillips Arena this season.
With its high octane offense, DePaul has five players averaging double-figures and that are ranked in the top 30 in scoring in the BIG EAST Conference. Rogowski paces the group with 14.8 points per game, while Jasmine Penny (13.2), Brittany Hrynko (13.0), Podkowa (12.6) and Chanise Jenkins (10.2) are all averaging double figures.
DePaul also ranks in the top 15 in Division I in the categories of steals and assists. The Blue Demons are averaging 13.2 steals per game which ranks seventh while Hrynko's 2.8 takeaways leads the league and Podkowa's 2.4 ranks third. DePaul is averaging 19.0 assists per game with Hrynko (4.8) and Jenkins (4.2) accounting for 47.4 percent of the team's 95 steals this season.
Loyola (2-6) is looking to halt its own three game slide. The Ramblers, who are under the direction of first year head coach and women's basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, have dropped games at Minnesota (80-36), and home contests to Lafayett (66-55) and Eastern Michigan (82-64).
Loyola is led by Troy Hambric who is averaging 13.9 points, 7.1 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. Ayrealle Beavers has 52 of the Ramblers 121 assists this season and leads the Missouri Valley with 6.5 assists per game.
DePaul and Loyola have met every season since 1999, while the series dates back to 1976. DePaul leads the all-time series 35-9 and has won the last 19 meetings. The Blue Demons are 19-3 in games played in Lincoln Park, while Doug Bruno boasts a 26-2 record against the Ramblers.
Saturday's game is part of a three-game homestand for the Blue Demons. DePaul hosts No. 5/6 Kentucky on Dec. 12 (6 p.m.) and Dartmouth on Dec. 16 (Noon). DePaul will be collecting toys at all three of those games in an effort to spread a little Christmas cheer to 126 pre-school students at the St. Vincent de Paul Center and also help out victims of the devastating Nov. 17 tornado that hit hardest in central Illinois.
Fans are encouraged to donate unwrapped toys and games for boys and girls 3-5 years old. Donations boxes will be located in the McGrath-Phillips Arena lobby. On non gamedays, a donation box is located in the lobby of the Sullivan Athletics Center (2323 N. Sheffield) from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday thru Friday.
