DePaul University Athletics
Sunday, February 24
Wintrust Arena
2:00 P.M. CT
DePaul University
vs
Butler
Blue Demons Set Sights on Six in a Row
2/23/2019 5:15:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Battle against BIG EAST power Butler at 2 PM on Senior Day Sunday
CHICAGO – There's nothing like facing a formidable foe to make your Senior Day that much more unforgettable.
But all the savoring of the good times in Lincoln Park will recede for the two hours that DePaul battles Butler at 2 p.m. Sunday at Wintrust Arena.
The final regular-season home game being televised by NBC Sports Chicago would naturally make for a lifetime memory.
That it's coming against a Bulldogs ball club that knocked off No. 11/11 Marquette 61-57 Friday night in Milwaukee will force Rebekah Dahlman, Tanita Allen, Mart'e Grays and Ashton Millender to set aside sentimentality to focus on Whitney Jennings, Tori Schickel and the rest of a dangerous BIG EAST power.
What the senior foursome and the rest of their teammates must do in the South Loop is once again summon that junkyard-dog mentality that has served them well in a season filled with bouts of inconsistency.
No less of an authority than DePaul coach Doug Bruno has been through too many winter campaigns not to recognize some telltale signs.
Where many of his former teams were like greyhounds racing past opponents at a breakneck pace, his current Blue Demons are carving out that junkyard-dog identity. They have succeeded with an unrelenting gritty style that has fostered some memorable comeback wins.
The real strength of this team may lie in its versatility and depth with the four seniors, juniors Kelly Campbell and Chante Stonewall and sophomore Dee Bekelja providing the foundation. Freshmen Lexi Held, Maya Stovall and Sonya Morris have developed into reliable contributors and perhaps you can add a fourth rookie to the mix.
Jolene Daninger came to Lincoln Park with the reputation of a brilliant long-range shooter, and the guard connected on a season-high trio of three-pointers in four attempts to match a season-high nine points in Friday's 81-48 triumph over Xavier.
Everyone on Bruno's team---most of all, the seniors---are fully cognizant that the postgame ceremony featuring DePaul President Dr. Gabriel Esteban, his wife Jo and athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto congratulating the honorees at midcourt---will be much sweeter following success between the lines.
DePaul (20-7, 11-4) is in the midst of a BIG EAST surge having won its last five conference games. Grays' consistently strong inside game, Millender's offensive outbursts and the valuable contributions of Allen and Dahlman have been critical to this late-season run.
When shots were not falling on Friday, the Blue Demons went to work on the backboard with 18 offensive rebounds producing 26 second-chance points while Xavier had three.
A combination of taking care of the ball (season-best eight turnovers) and pressure defense all over the floor led to 20 Xavier turnovers and a 24-0 advantage for DePaul in points off turnovers.
All of that and more will be needed against Butler (20-6, 10-5) which played its best game of the season at Marquette.
The Bulldogs are led by a potent inside-outside duo of do-everything guard Whitney Jennings and 6-foot, 1-inch forward Tori Schickel. Jennings is the leading scorer at nearly 15 points a game and also tops Butler in three-pointers, three-point percentage and free throw percentage.
Schickel is averaging 12.7 points and 9.2 rebounds a game with a total of 37 blocked shots this season.
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But all the savoring of the good times in Lincoln Park will recede for the two hours that DePaul battles Butler at 2 p.m. Sunday at Wintrust Arena.
The final regular-season home game being televised by NBC Sports Chicago would naturally make for a lifetime memory.
That it's coming against a Bulldogs ball club that knocked off No. 11/11 Marquette 61-57 Friday night in Milwaukee will force Rebekah Dahlman, Tanita Allen, Mart'e Grays and Ashton Millender to set aside sentimentality to focus on Whitney Jennings, Tori Schickel and the rest of a dangerous BIG EAST power.
What the senior foursome and the rest of their teammates must do in the South Loop is once again summon that junkyard-dog mentality that has served them well in a season filled with bouts of inconsistency.
No less of an authority than DePaul coach Doug Bruno has been through too many winter campaigns not to recognize some telltale signs.
Where many of his former teams were like greyhounds racing past opponents at a breakneck pace, his current Blue Demons are carving out that junkyard-dog identity. They have succeeded with an unrelenting gritty style that has fostered some memorable comeback wins.
The real strength of this team may lie in its versatility and depth with the four seniors, juniors Kelly Campbell and Chante Stonewall and sophomore Dee Bekelja providing the foundation. Freshmen Lexi Held, Maya Stovall and Sonya Morris have developed into reliable contributors and perhaps you can add a fourth rookie to the mix.
Jolene Daninger came to Lincoln Park with the reputation of a brilliant long-range shooter, and the guard connected on a season-high trio of three-pointers in four attempts to match a season-high nine points in Friday's 81-48 triumph over Xavier.
Everyone on Bruno's team---most of all, the seniors---are fully cognizant that the postgame ceremony featuring DePaul President Dr. Gabriel Esteban, his wife Jo and athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto congratulating the honorees at midcourt---will be much sweeter following success between the lines.
DePaul (20-7, 11-4) is in the midst of a BIG EAST surge having won its last five conference games. Grays' consistently strong inside game, Millender's offensive outbursts and the valuable contributions of Allen and Dahlman have been critical to this late-season run.
When shots were not falling on Friday, the Blue Demons went to work on the backboard with 18 offensive rebounds producing 26 second-chance points while Xavier had three.
A combination of taking care of the ball (season-best eight turnovers) and pressure defense all over the floor led to 20 Xavier turnovers and a 24-0 advantage for DePaul in points off turnovers.
All of that and more will be needed against Butler (20-6, 10-5) which played its best game of the season at Marquette.
The Bulldogs are led by a potent inside-outside duo of do-everything guard Whitney Jennings and 6-foot, 1-inch forward Tori Schickel. Jennings is the leading scorer at nearly 15 points a game and also tops Butler in three-pointers, three-point percentage and free throw percentage.
Schickel is averaging 12.7 points and 9.2 rebounds a game with a total of 37 blocked shots this season.
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Players Mentioned
Guard
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Guard
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Guard
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Guard
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Forward
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Guard
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Guard
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Forward
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Guard
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