DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Meets Penn State in Gavitt Games Opener
11/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Nov. 16, 2015
CHICAGO - DePaul and Penn State open the inaugural Gavitt Tipoff Games between the BIG EAST and Big Ten Conferences. Both teams enters the Tuesday evening game at 1-0 following season-opening wins over the weekend.
The Gavitt Tipoff Games is an annual early-season series played between the two conferences and named in honor of Dave Gavitt, founder of the BIG EAST and basketball visionary. The BIG EAST home games will be telecast on FOX Sports 1, while Big Ten home games will air on BTN or an ESPN Network. The Blue Demons and Nittany Lions are scheduled for an ESPNU broadcast that is also part of Tuesday's College Basketball Tip-Off Marathon.
Tuesday's game will be televised on ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Sean Harrington (analyst) handling the television duties. The broadcast can also be seen online on WatchESPN. DePaul's radio tandem of Jeff Blanzy (play-by-play) and Dave Corzine (analyst) can be heard online on BlueTube at www.depaulbluedemons.com. 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.
Both DePaul and Penn State posted victories to open the 2015-16 season with the Blue Demons stopping Western Michigan, 69-63, and Penn State posting a 62-50 win over VMI. Head coach Dave Leitao is in his fourth season at DePaul and his first since returning to the program after leading the Blue Demons to three postseasons in three years from 2002-05. Overall, the 2015-16 campaign is Leitao's 10th as a head coach at the collegiate level. Penn State is led by Patrick Chambers who is in his fifth season leading the Nittany Lions. Tuesday's game is the seventh meeting - and the first since December 1984 - between the two programs with DePaul holding a 6-0 advantage in the series.
Following the Penn State game, DePaul head to the Virgin Islands for the 2015 Paradise Jam. The Blue Demons arrive in St. Thomas on Wednesday afternoon and face South Carolina in the first round on Friday evening. That game can be seen starting at 5 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. The radio call will start online only and be picked up in progress on WSCR 670 The Score at 5:45 p.m. CT.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,420-942 (.601) 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 677 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the Blue Demons set school records in 2014-15 with 248 three's and 705 attempts... the Blue Demons are 332-167 (.665) all-time at Allstate Arena... DePaul is 10-1 (.909) all-time in games at McGrath-Phillips Arena... over the last five seasons, DePaul is 13-1 against Chicagoland opponents (Chicago State, UIC, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern)... in the last 10 seasons, the record against locals is 18-5... DePaul faces UIC (Dec. 2), Chicago State (Dec. 5) and Northwestern (Dec. 19) this season.
It Could Happen: A win would make DePaul 2-0 to start the season for the second straight year... a win would be No. 145 for Dave Leitao... he enters Tuesday's game with a career mark of 144-129 in 10 seasons as a collegiate head coach... a win would also be his 60th at DePaul... he is 59-34 in three-plus seasons with the Blue Demons.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 69-63 win over Western Michigan on Saturday:
- DePaul trailed by 11 at halftime and a dozen points early in the second half... the Blue Demons outscored the Broncos, 45-28, in the second half... DePaul went from shooting .346 (9-26) in first half to .600 (12-20) in second half... defensively, the Blue Demons held Western Michigan to a combined .269 (7-26) in the second half after allowing an effort of .464 (13-28) in the first half.
- DePaul is 81-12 in season openers dating back to the start of the 1923-24 season... the Blue Demons are 86-7 in home openers in that same span... the Blue Demons have won the first game of the season eight straight years... in the first home game, DePaul has won nine straight and 49 of the last 51.
- Tommy Hamilton IV recorded the first basket of the season with a jumper from the right wing.
- Dave Leitao is now 4-0 in first games at DePaul.
- The Blue Demons are 10-1 all-time at McGrath-Phillips Arena.
- Billy Garrett Jr. become the 19th player in program history with 300 career free throws.
- DePaul leads the series, 21-8... Saturday was the first meeting since December 1987... against the Mid-American Conference, the Blue Demons hold an 80-35 record.
The Opponent: Penn State enters Tuesday's game at 1-0 following a 62-50 win over VMI on Saturday... Shep Garner led the team with 15 points while Brandon Taylor added 13 and Payton Banks scored 12... the Nittany Lions went 18-16 last season that included a 4-14 record in Big Ten play... head coach Patrick Chambers is in his fifth season at Penn State.
The Series: Tuesday is the seventh all-time meeting between the two programs... the Blue Demons hold a 6-0 advantage in the series... the two sides are meeting for the first time since a 78-61 DePaul win on Dec. 12, 1984... DePaul has played twice at Penn State... the Blue Demons posted an 82-67 win on Dec. 28, 1977 and the December 1984 win was on the road.
Against the Big Ten Conference: DePaul is 84-74 all-time against the Big Ten Conference... Northwestern is the most common opponent... DePaul holds a 20-10 advantage in 30 all-time meetings with the Wildcats... the Blue Demons host Northwestern on Dec. 19 at Allstate Arena... Northwestern was DePaul's last Big Ten opponent... Billy Garrett Jr.'s buzzer beater knocked off the Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena, 57-56, on Dec. 27, 2013... prior to that game, the Blue Demons dropped an 86-85 decision to Minnesota at the Old Spice Classic in November 2011... besides Northwestern, DePaul's most common Big Ten opponents include Indiana (Indiana leads series 14-8).
Gavitt Tipoff Games
DePaul at Penn State
Tuesday, Nov. 17 | 5 p.m. ET
Bryce Jordan Center | University Park, Pa.
TV: ESPNU | Online Video: WatchESPN
Online Audio: BlueTube
Live Stats:
CHICAGO - DePaul and Penn State open the inaugural Gavitt Tipoff Games between the BIG EAST and Big Ten Conferences. Both teams enters the Tuesday evening game at 1-0 following season-opening wins over the weekend.
The Gavitt Tipoff Games is an annual early-season series played between the two conferences and named in honor of Dave Gavitt, founder of the BIG EAST and basketball visionary. The BIG EAST home games will be telecast on FOX Sports 1, while Big Ten home games will air on BTN or an ESPN Network. The Blue Demons and Nittany Lions are scheduled for an ESPNU broadcast that is also part of Tuesday's College Basketball Tip-Off Marathon.
Tuesday's game will be televised on ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Sean Harrington (analyst) handling the television duties. The broadcast can also be seen online on WatchESPN. DePaul's radio tandem of Jeff Blanzy (play-by-play) and Dave Corzine (analyst) can be heard online on BlueTube at www.depaulbluedemons.com. 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.
Both DePaul and Penn State posted victories to open the 2015-16 season with the Blue Demons stopping Western Michigan, 69-63, and Penn State posting a 62-50 win over VMI. Head coach Dave Leitao is in his fourth season at DePaul and his first since returning to the program after leading the Blue Demons to three postseasons in three years from 2002-05. Overall, the 2015-16 campaign is Leitao's 10th as a head coach at the collegiate level. Penn State is led by Patrick Chambers who is in his fifth season leading the Nittany Lions. Tuesday's game is the seventh meeting - and the first since December 1984 - between the two programs with DePaul holding a 6-0 advantage in the series.
Following the Penn State game, DePaul head to the Virgin Islands for the 2015 Paradise Jam. The Blue Demons arrive in St. Thomas on Wednesday afternoon and face South Carolina in the first round on Friday evening. That game can be seen starting at 5 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. The radio call will start online only and be picked up in progress on WSCR 670 The Score at 5:45 p.m. CT.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,420-942 (.601) 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 677 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the Blue Demons set school records in 2014-15 with 248 three's and 705 attempts... the Blue Demons are 332-167 (.665) all-time at Allstate Arena... DePaul is 10-1 (.909) all-time in games at McGrath-Phillips Arena... over the last five seasons, DePaul is 13-1 against Chicagoland opponents (Chicago State, UIC, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern)... in the last 10 seasons, the record against locals is 18-5... DePaul faces UIC (Dec. 2), Chicago State (Dec. 5) and Northwestern (Dec. 19) this season.
It Could Happen: A win would make DePaul 2-0 to start the season for the second straight year... a win would be No. 145 for Dave Leitao... he enters Tuesday's game with a career mark of 144-129 in 10 seasons as a collegiate head coach... a win would also be his 60th at DePaul... he is 59-34 in three-plus seasons with the Blue Demons.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 69-63 win over Western Michigan on Saturday:
- DePaul trailed by 11 at halftime and a dozen points early in the second half... the Blue Demons outscored the Broncos, 45-28, in the second half... DePaul went from shooting .346 (9-26) in first half to .600 (12-20) in second half... defensively, the Blue Demons held Western Michigan to a combined .269 (7-26) in the second half after allowing an effort of .464 (13-28) in the first half.
- DePaul is 81-12 in season openers dating back to the start of the 1923-24 season... the Blue Demons are 86-7 in home openers in that same span... the Blue Demons have won the first game of the season eight straight years... in the first home game, DePaul has won nine straight and 49 of the last 51.
- Tommy Hamilton IV recorded the first basket of the season with a jumper from the right wing.
- Dave Leitao is now 4-0 in first games at DePaul.
- The Blue Demons are 10-1 all-time at McGrath-Phillips Arena.
- Billy Garrett Jr. become the 19th player in program history with 300 career free throws.
- DePaul leads the series, 21-8... Saturday was the first meeting since December 1987... against the Mid-American Conference, the Blue Demons hold an 80-35 record.
The Opponent: Penn State enters Tuesday's game at 1-0 following a 62-50 win over VMI on Saturday... Shep Garner led the team with 15 points while Brandon Taylor added 13 and Payton Banks scored 12... the Nittany Lions went 18-16 last season that included a 4-14 record in Big Ten play... head coach Patrick Chambers is in his fifth season at Penn State.
The Series: Tuesday is the seventh all-time meeting between the two programs... the Blue Demons hold a 6-0 advantage in the series... the two sides are meeting for the first time since a 78-61 DePaul win on Dec. 12, 1984... DePaul has played twice at Penn State... the Blue Demons posted an 82-67 win on Dec. 28, 1977 and the December 1984 win was on the road.
Against the Big Ten Conference: DePaul is 84-74 all-time against the Big Ten Conference... Northwestern is the most common opponent... DePaul holds a 20-10 advantage in 30 all-time meetings with the Wildcats... the Blue Demons host Northwestern on Dec. 19 at Allstate Arena... Northwestern was DePaul's last Big Ten opponent... Billy Garrett Jr.'s buzzer beater knocked off the Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena, 57-56, on Dec. 27, 2013... prior to that game, the Blue Demons dropped an 86-85 decision to Minnesota at the Old Spice Classic in November 2011... besides Northwestern, DePaul's most common Big Ten opponents include Indiana (Indiana leads series 14-8).
Players Mentioned
G
/ MEN'S BASKETBALL
C
/ MEN'S BASKETBALLChris Holtmann Media Availability - Monday, April 27
Monday, April 27
DePaul Men's Basketball Game Highlights vs. Georgetown - 03.11.26
Thursday, March 12
Men's Basketball Media Availability: Chris Holtmann & NJ Benson 03.09.26
Monday, March 09
Men's Basketball vs Butler Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, March 08