No. 20/17 DePaul Renews Northwestern Rivalry

CHICAGO – Whenever No. 20/17 DePaul and Northwestern face off, you can expect a spirited competition between these two local rivals.

They will meet Wednesday for the 36th time with this renewal of top programs set for 7 p.m. at McGrath-Phillips Arena.

While DePaul (5-3) is ranked in the Top 25 of both the Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA national polls, NU (5-1) is receiving votes in the AP poll.

The Blue Demons hold a 19-16 advantage in a series that dates back to Jan. 24, 1975, and coach Doug Bruno's program has a three-game winning streak against the Wildcats.

DePaul (5-3) is coming off a 102-88 victory over Temple at Monday's Field Trip Day game when its long-range accuracy (18-of-44 from three-point territory) proved to be the difference.

Led by Ashton Millender, the Blue Demons are No. 1 in the nation in three-pointers, three-pointers per game and three-point attempts. They are also No. 2 in free throw percentage, No. 7 in assists, No. 10 in assists per game, No. 13 in scoring offense and No. 14 in assist-turnover ratio.

Millender, who tops her team averaging 14.4 points per game, is No. 5 in the country in three-pointers, No. 10 in attempts and No. 12 in threes per game.

Teammate Chante Stonewall is off to a strong start averaging 14.3 points a game and leading the team in rebounding and steals.

Guard Lexi Held was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Monday, her first conference accolade. Held scored a total of 35 points and shot 14-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-11 from three-point range in games against Savannah State and No. 1/1 Connecticut.

She got a head-start to perhaps repeating the accomplishment after scoring 13 points in a 102-88 win Monday over Temple. In her last three games, Held has scored 48 points and shot 19-of-27 from the field including 9-of-14 from deep.

Rebekah Dahlman could be rounding into form after sitting out virtually the entire 2017-18 season with an injury. Against Temple, the sixth-year graduate student finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Preseason All-BIG EAST point guard Kelly Campbell is having an impact in multiple areas of a game once again. On Monday, Campbell came close to the second triple-double of her career with nine points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Teammate Tanita Allen certainly helped the cause with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Northwestern brings a 5-1 record to Lincoln Park, opening the season with wins over Green Bay, Duke, UIC, Florida and UT Martin. The Wildcats' lone blemish was last week's 52-49 loss against Pittsburgh.

Guard Lindsey Pulliam leads NU averaging 16 points a game. Watch out for 6-2 forward Pall Kunaiyi-Akpanah who is averaging a double-double with 13.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. Guard Jordan Hamilton is averaging nearly 11 points a game.

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Players Mentioned

Tanita Allen

Kelly Campbell

Rebekah Dahlman

Lexi Held

Ashton Millender

Chante Stonewall

DePaul University Athletics