DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Welcomes Central Michigan to Wintrust Arena
11/12/2021 4:42:00 PM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Blue Demons and Chippewas scheduled for 5 p.m. start on Saturday
CHICAGO – Following a 25-point win to the open the 2021-22 season, DePaul welcomes Central Michigan to Wintrust Arena for a Saturday evening non-conference game. The Blue Demons knocked off Coppin State, 97-72, on Wednesday night in the lid lifter that opened an eight-game homestand.
Saturday's game can be seen on FS2 starting at 5 p.m. with Chris Vosters (play-by-play) and Dickey Simpkins (analyst) handling the broadcast duties. The game can also be seen online at foxsports.com/live. DePaul's radio tandem of Zach Zaidman (play-by-play) and Jeff Blanzy (analyst) can be heard on WSCR (670 AM) and online on DePaul All-Access at depaulbluedemons.com/live. In-game updates can be followed on Twitter at @DePaulHoops and live stats are available at depaulbluedemons.com.
Central Michigan opened its season on Tuesday at Missouri. The Chippewas dropped a 78-68 decision to the Tigers.
Season-Opening Notes: DePaul is 86-13 all-time in the first game of the season... Wednesday's game was the start of the 99th recognized season of DePaul basketball (since 1923-24)... DePaul competed in basketball prior to the 1923-24 season, but season records and results are incomplete... DePaul has won 14 of its last 15 season openers.
It Could Happen: A win would be No. 1,490 for DePaul since the start of the 1923-24 season... a win would also be DePaul's 11th in the last 12 home non-conference games... Javon Freeman-Liberty needs seven three-pointers for 100 in his career... Nick Ongenda needs one blocked shot for 50 in his career... he has 49 rejections in 45 career games.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,489-1,054 (.586) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 856 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was over 25 years ago on Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the current streak started against Notre Dame on Feb. 21, 1993... over the last 10 seasons (since start of 2010-11 season), DePaul is 21-6 against Chicagoland opponents (Chicago State, UIC, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern)... in the last 20 seasons (since the start of 2000-01 season), the record against locals is 35-12... the Blue Demons defeated UIC and Northwestern during the 2019-20 season.
The Opponent – Central Michigan Chippewas: Central Michigan is 0-1 this season following a 78-68 loss at Missouri on Tuesday... the Chippewas posted a 7-16 overall record and 3-13 mark in the MAC last season... Jermaine Jackson Jr. led the team at Missouri with 19 points and five assists... Miroslav Stafl added 15 points and four rebounds... head coach Tony Barbee is in his first season leading the Chippewas... associate head coach Shane Heirman was an assistant coach at DePaul from 2017-21... former student manager Ben Lang is now the Director of Player Personnel at Central Michigan... former Blue Demon Oscar Lopez Jr. is a junior guard at Central Michigan.
The Series: DePaul holds a 4-0 advantage in the series... the Blue Demons posted an 88-75 win in the last meeting on Nov. 26, 2019 at Wintrust Arena... DePaul trailed 50-32 at halftime of that game before scoring 56 points in the second half while holding Central Michigan to 25 points.
Against the MAC: DePaul is 84-37 all-time against the current configuration of Mid-American Conference programs... Northern Illinois is the most common MAC opponent with the Blue Demons holding a 27-6 advantage in the series... the Blue Demons have played Western Michigan 29 times with DePaul on top by a 21-8 advantage... DePaul's last result against a MAC opponent was a 74-69 defeat against Buffalo on Dec. 8, 2019.
Non-Conference Notebook: Over the last three-plus seasons, the Blue Demons are 27-6 against non-BIG EAST opponents... a year ago, saw DePaul go 2-0 in non-conference regular-season games with wins over Western Illinois and Valparaiso... two seasons ago, DePaul's 12-1 non-conference record was the best regular-season mark since DePaul joined the Great Midwest Conference... prior to the 1991-92 season, the Blue Demons were an independent before competing in the Great Midwest (1991-95), Conference USA (1995-05) and now the BIG EAST since the 2005-06 season... DePaul's 9-0 record to begin the 2019-20 season was one of eight streaks of at least nine consecutive wins to open a season... it was the longest streak since the 1986-87 squad started with a 16-0 record... the 1979-80 team won its first 25 games for the longest season-opening streak in program history.
Saturday's game can be seen on FS2 starting at 5 p.m. with Chris Vosters (play-by-play) and Dickey Simpkins (analyst) handling the broadcast duties. The game can also be seen online at foxsports.com/live. DePaul's radio tandem of Zach Zaidman (play-by-play) and Jeff Blanzy (analyst) can be heard on WSCR (670 AM) and online on DePaul All-Access at depaulbluedemons.com/live. In-game updates can be followed on Twitter at @DePaulHoops and live stats are available at depaulbluedemons.com.
Central Michigan opened its season on Tuesday at Missouri. The Chippewas dropped a 78-68 decision to the Tigers.
Season-Opening Notes: DePaul is 86-13 all-time in the first game of the season... Wednesday's game was the start of the 99th recognized season of DePaul basketball (since 1923-24)... DePaul competed in basketball prior to the 1923-24 season, but season records and results are incomplete... DePaul has won 14 of its last 15 season openers.
It Could Happen: A win would be No. 1,490 for DePaul since the start of the 1923-24 season... a win would also be DePaul's 11th in the last 12 home non-conference games... Javon Freeman-Liberty needs seven three-pointers for 100 in his career... Nick Ongenda needs one blocked shot for 50 in his career... he has 49 rejections in 45 career games.
Noting the Blue Demons: The men's basketball program is 1,489-1,054 (.586) all-time... the Blue Demons have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 856 straight games... DePaul's last game without a three was over 25 years ago on Feb. 16, 1993 against UAB at Allstate Arena... the current streak started against Notre Dame on Feb. 21, 1993... over the last 10 seasons (since start of 2010-11 season), DePaul is 21-6 against Chicagoland opponents (Chicago State, UIC, Loyola-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern)... in the last 20 seasons (since the start of 2000-01 season), the record against locals is 35-12... the Blue Demons defeated UIC and Northwestern during the 2019-20 season.
The Opponent – Central Michigan Chippewas: Central Michigan is 0-1 this season following a 78-68 loss at Missouri on Tuesday... the Chippewas posted a 7-16 overall record and 3-13 mark in the MAC last season... Jermaine Jackson Jr. led the team at Missouri with 19 points and five assists... Miroslav Stafl added 15 points and four rebounds... head coach Tony Barbee is in his first season leading the Chippewas... associate head coach Shane Heirman was an assistant coach at DePaul from 2017-21... former student manager Ben Lang is now the Director of Player Personnel at Central Michigan... former Blue Demon Oscar Lopez Jr. is a junior guard at Central Michigan.
The Series: DePaul holds a 4-0 advantage in the series... the Blue Demons posted an 88-75 win in the last meeting on Nov. 26, 2019 at Wintrust Arena... DePaul trailed 50-32 at halftime of that game before scoring 56 points in the second half while holding Central Michigan to 25 points.
Against the MAC: DePaul is 84-37 all-time against the current configuration of Mid-American Conference programs... Northern Illinois is the most common MAC opponent with the Blue Demons holding a 27-6 advantage in the series... the Blue Demons have played Western Michigan 29 times with DePaul on top by a 21-8 advantage... DePaul's last result against a MAC opponent was a 74-69 defeat against Buffalo on Dec. 8, 2019.
Non-Conference Notebook: Over the last three-plus seasons, the Blue Demons are 27-6 against non-BIG EAST opponents... a year ago, saw DePaul go 2-0 in non-conference regular-season games with wins over Western Illinois and Valparaiso... two seasons ago, DePaul's 12-1 non-conference record was the best regular-season mark since DePaul joined the Great Midwest Conference... prior to the 1991-92 season, the Blue Demons were an independent before competing in the Great Midwest (1991-95), Conference USA (1995-05) and now the BIG EAST since the 2005-06 season... DePaul's 9-0 record to begin the 2019-20 season was one of eight streaks of at least nine consecutive wins to open a season... it was the longest streak since the 1986-87 squad started with a 16-0 record... the 1979-80 team won its first 25 games for the longest season-opening streak in program history.
Players Mentioned
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