DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Gives Women's Basketball a Rousing Send-Off
3/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO -- Right around St. Patrick's Day for the last 14 years, March Madness engulfs the DePaul Blue Demon community.
It began anew on Wednesday afternoon with a rowdy send-off for the women's basketball team as the Blue Demons boarded the bus to Louisville to compete in their 14th consecutive NCAA tournament.
A festive crowd of Blue Demon coaches, student-athletes, athletics department staff members, DePaul students, faculty, fans, cheerleaders, Dibs the mascot and the `Screamin Demons' band filled up the Hall of Fame Foyer at the Sullivan Athletic Center to give coach Doug Bruno and his team one last shot of adrenaline before Friday's opener.
No. 6 seed DePaul (25-8) will face Colonial Athletic Association champion and No. 11 seed James Madison (27-5) at noon (ET) at the KFC Yum! Center in a showdown that will be televised by ESPN2.
No. 3 Louisville (25-7) and No. 14 Central Arkansas (28-3) collide in the second game on Friday. The two winners advance to Sunday's round of 32 with a Sweet 16 berth on the line.
"I have to give all the credit to a great administration led by DePaul President Dennis H. Holtschneider and Athletics Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto," Bruno told the crowd with TV news cameras rolling. "I'm blessed the have the best coaching staff in America.
"In the end, it's always about the players. This is a very special group of players led by senior captains Chanise Jenkins and Megan Podkowa who put their blood, sweat and tears into this. We wouldn't be here without them.
"Next to the Super Bowl and the World Series, the NCAA tournament is the third-biggest sporting event in America. What makes it hard is that despite all the big stuff, the hype and hoopla---it all comes down to doing the little things."
The Blue Demons are one of just six programs to appear in each of the last 14 NCAA tournaments. DePaul is joined in this elite company by Connecticut, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford and Tennessee.
Bruno's team has reached the second round 10 times, including four of the last five seasons. The elite program advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2006, 2011 and 2014.
"Our entire team is thankful for all the support you've given us this season," Jenkins said before making sure to give her grandfather Robert Jenkins a big hug prior to boarding the bus. "We're hoping to go out there and make you guys proud. I hope to see you all in Louisville."
DePaul comes into the NCAA tournament having won nine of its last 10 games while James Madison is riding a 20-game winning streak.
"James Madison is athletic and a defensive team that rebounds well," Podkowa said. "They also hit their shots. This is going to be a real tough challenge on Friday."
Bruno knows the key to postseason success.
"This time of the year, it's all about survive and advance," Bruno said. "This team is ready. Now, let's go down to Louisville and do all the little things to win."
