Blue Demons Face George Washington in Nation's Capital
12/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - DePaul visits George Washington for a Thursday night non-conference game in Washington, D.C. The Blue Demons enter the game on a four-game win streak while the Colonials have won their last two games. Thursday's game marks a stretch that features the Blue Demons playing outside of Chicago in five of the next six games.
Thursday's game will be televised in the Chicago market on Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus with Byron Kerr (play-by-play) and Glen Consor (analyst) handling the television duties. Additionally, the game can be seen on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic Plus and SNY. DePaul's radio tandem of Zach Zaidman (play-by-play) and Jeff Blanzy (analyst) can be heard on WIND 560 AM, on BlueTube at www.depaulbluedemons.com and on DePaul's mobile app. Live stats can be found on GameTracker at www.depaulbluedemons.com while in-game scoring updates and notes can be followed at www.twitter.com/depaulsid.
DePaul stands at 6-1 early in the 2014-15 season while George Washington holds a 5-2 record. Head coach Oliver Purnell is in his fifth season at DePaul and his 27th as a head coach at the collegiate level. George Washington is led by Mike Lonergan who is in his fourth season leading the Colonials. Thursday's game is the fifth meeting between the two programs.
Following the George Washington game, DePaul returns to Allstate Arena for a Sunday afternoon game against Illinois State. Sunday's game will be televised on FOX Sports 1 and can be heard on WSCR 670 AM at 3 p.m. CT.
Toy Drive at Upcoming Games: The DePaul athletics department is hosting a food drive and a toy drive at upcoming men's and women's basketball games.
The toy drive benefits the children of the St. Vincent de Paul Center and begins Nov. 29 at University locations in the Loop and Lincoln Park campuses. Gameday drop-off for unused and unopened toys and games is available at the men's basketball games against Milwaukee on Dec. 7 and Illinois State on Dec. 14.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,413-923 (.605) all-time... the 81-70 win over Florida Atlantic on Dec. 12, 2013 was win No. 1,400 since start of 1923-24 season... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 651 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the Blue Demons are 328-161 (.671) all-time at Allstate Arena... DePaul is 9-1 (.900) all-time in games at McGrath-Phillips Arena... in Oliver Purnell's five seasons at DePaul, the Blue Demons are 13-1 against Chicagoland opponents (Chicago State, UIC, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern)... DePaul posted a 3-0 record this season with wins over UIC, Northern Illinois and Chicago State... in the Purnell era, the Blue Demons are 25-4 (4-0 in 2014-15/6-1 in 2013-14) when scoring 80 or more points... DePaul's 2014-15 roster includes nine players from the Chicagoland area.
The Opponent: George Washington stands at 5-2 following a 78-70 win against Charlotte on Sunday... the Colonials have won two straight and three of their last four games... George Washington was picked to finish second in the preseason Atlantic 10 coaches poll... Patricio Garino leads the team with 14.6 points per game and 17 steals... Kethan Savage adds 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game... head coach Mike Lonergan is in his fourth season at George Washington... DePaul head coach Oliver Purnell is 8-9 all-time against the Colonials.
The Series: Thursday is the fifth all-time meeting... the series is tied at 2-2... Thursday is the first meeting between the two programs since Dec. 6, 1998... DePaul posted an 87-79 win at George Washington... the two teams could also meet this season on Dec. 23 in game at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.
The Last Meeting: DePaul knocked off George Washington, 87-79, at the MCI Centre in Washington, D.C. in the first game of the BB&T Classic... six Blue Demons reached double-figures led by Lance Williams with 19 points and 15 rebounds... Willie Coleman added 17 and Bobby Simmons scored 14 points... Yegor Mescheriakov led the Colonials with 26 points and eight rebounds... DePaul lost the following day in the BB&T Classic to Maryland, 92-75.
Against the Atlantic 10 Conference: DePaul is 115-97 all-time against the current membership of the Atlantic 10 Conference... Dayton is the most common opponent followed by Saint Louis... Dayton holds a 35-34 advantage over the Blue Demons... DePaul leads the Saint Louis series, 34-27.
It Could Happen: A win gives DePaul a 7-1 record to start the season for the first time in five seasons under Oliver Purnell... the potential 7-1 start would be the best start for the Blue Demons since the 1993-94 squad started at 6-1... that team went 11-1 before suffering its second loss the season... a win would be the fifth straight for the Blue Demons for the first five-game win streak since a seven-game win streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 22, 2012... Billy Garrett Jr. needs 22 points to reach 500 in his career... the sophomore is playing in his 39th game on Thursday.
Trendy: After going 12-for-24 from the free throw line in the season opener, DePaul is 121-of-152 (.796) in the last six games... the Milwaukee game on Sunday featured a team effort of 21-for-23 (.913) that included 11-of-11 from Billy Garrett Jr. and 7-for-7 from Tommy Hamilton IV... in the last four games, DePaul is a combined 36-for-72 (.500) from three-point range while opponents are 16-for-71 (.225).
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 83-61 win against Milwaukee on Dec. 7:
- The 6-1 start is the best record through seven games since the 1993-94 team started with the same record.
- Under Oliver Purnell, the Blue Demons are 25-4 (4-0 this season) when scoring 80 or more points.
- DePaul has placed at least four in double-figures in six of seven games this season.
- Billy Garrett Jr. is the first DePaul player to go prefect from the free throw line at Allstate Arena with at least 10 attempts... three opposing players have attempted at least 10 without a miss... last was D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera going 11-for-11 for Georgetown on Feb. 3, 2014.
- Myke Henry has scored in double-figures in all seven games in a DePaul uniform.
- DePaul leads the all-time series, 12-1... the Blue Demons are 69-19 all-time against the current roster of Horizon League programs.
Henry, Hamilton Pick Up Honor Roll Mention: DePaul's Myke Henry and Tommy Hamilton IV have been named to a BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll following outstanding weekly efforts on the court. Henry was named to the weekly team on Dec. 1 followed by Hamilton on Dec. 8.
Following career-best games against Lehigh and Stanford, junior forward Myke Henry was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 1. Henry averaged 26.5 points and 8.0 rebounds during the week while shooting .618 (21-34) from the field. The Chicago native posted his first career double-double with 24 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against Lehigh along with three steals. Henry followed that effort on Sunday with a career-high 29 points against Stanford with six rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and two steals.
Hamilton averaged 17.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in wins over Northern Illinois, Chicago State and Milwaukee. He totaled 13 points, five rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals against Northern Illinois before a 25-point, eight-rebound game at Chicago State. He went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field against the Cougars and became just the fourth player in school history to not miss a shot in a game with a minimum of seven attempts. Hamilton concluded his strong weekly performance with 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots against Milwaukee.
On Deck: DePaul hosts Illinois State on Sunday afternoon at Allstate Arena... the game is the lone home game for the Blue Demons in a six-game stretch and the final non-conference home game of the regular season... DePaul leads the all-time series by a 21-4 margin... Illinois State has claimed the last two meetings including a 69-64 decision at Redbird Arena last season... last season's game on Dec. 22 was the first between the two schools since Dec. 1996... Illinois State enters Sunday's game with a 4-3 record after winning at UAB, 78-74, on Dec. 7.
