DePaul University Athletics
Friday, December 3
Chicago, Ill.
7:00 P.M. CT
DePaul University
vs
Butler
DePaul Faces Butler in Friday's BIG EAST Opener
12/2/2021 11:47:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Blue Demons are 3-0 this season at Wintrust Arena
CHICAGO – In some ways, DePaul would like to make amends in its BIG EAST opener Friday night at Wintrust Arena.
You see, Butler was the final regular-season conference game in 2020-21, and a Bulldogs' upset right on this very South Loop court may well have cost coach Doug Bruno and his program a berth in the NCAA tournament.
The Blue Demons will be ready to wipe away every last vestige of that memory with a fresh start to the 2021-22 league season.
The two teams will enter the South Loop headed in opposite directions. DePaul is off to a 5-2 start with the only losses coming to No. 17/15 Texas A&M and No. 7/11 Arizona.
The Blue Demons are averaging 84.3 points a game and are among the nation's leaders in assists, scoring, free throws, free throw attempts and offensive rebounds per game. They have wins over two teams (Northwestern and Rutgers) who competed in last season's NCAA tournament.
Butler is looking for its first win of the season after starting out 0-6. The Bulldogs are being outscored by nearly 20 points a game, falling to IUPUI 80-47, Western Illinois 73-46 and No. 6/6 Indiana 86-63.
Alex Richard is averaging 12.8 points a game while Celena Taborn is scoring 11.3 points a game. Opponents are forcing Butler into an average of 21.5 turnovers per game.
Which does play right into Bruno's wheelhouse as his team is forcing nearly 18 turnovers a game with its full-court pressure. Vanderbilt turned the ball over 26 times, Texas Southern 25, Loyola 21 and Rutgers 20.
Led by BIG EAST Player of the Week Sonya Morris an three-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Aneesah Morrow, DePaul's players will look to own each and every individual matchup on the Wintrust Arena court.
Morris had a career game last time out against Vanderbilt at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands, scoring a prodigious 36 points which is the most by a BIG EAST player this season. The splendid senior is No. 14 in the nation and No. 1 in the BIG EAST in field goals.
Morrow continued her early surge, and as of midweek was leading the nation among freshmen in rebounds and was second in points. Among all players nationwide, Morrow is No. 7 in blocks and No. 12 in rebounds.
The 6-foot, 1-inch forward is coming off back-to-back double-doubles at the Paradise Jam with an eye-opening 24 points and 16 rebounds (along with five steals and three blocks) against No. 7 Arizona followed by 28 points and 15 rebounds (plus five more steals) versus Vanderbilt.
The M&M combo are atop the DePaul scoring chart with Morrow averaging 18.4 points a game and Morris 17.3. Deja Church is contributing 13.1 points per game and Lexi Held is at 12.6 along with a team-leading 5.6 assists. She is No. 15 in the country in assists and is tied with Morrow at No. 17 in steals.
Darrione Rogers, Dee Bekleja, Kierra Collier and Kendall Holmes round out a deep backcourt supporting Morris, Church and Held.
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You see, Butler was the final regular-season conference game in 2020-21, and a Bulldogs' upset right on this very South Loop court may well have cost coach Doug Bruno and his program a berth in the NCAA tournament.
The Blue Demons will be ready to wipe away every last vestige of that memory with a fresh start to the 2021-22 league season.
The two teams will enter the South Loop headed in opposite directions. DePaul is off to a 5-2 start with the only losses coming to No. 17/15 Texas A&M and No. 7/11 Arizona.
The Blue Demons are averaging 84.3 points a game and are among the nation's leaders in assists, scoring, free throws, free throw attempts and offensive rebounds per game. They have wins over two teams (Northwestern and Rutgers) who competed in last season's NCAA tournament.
Butler is looking for its first win of the season after starting out 0-6. The Bulldogs are being outscored by nearly 20 points a game, falling to IUPUI 80-47, Western Illinois 73-46 and No. 6/6 Indiana 86-63.
Alex Richard is averaging 12.8 points a game while Celena Taborn is scoring 11.3 points a game. Opponents are forcing Butler into an average of 21.5 turnovers per game.
Which does play right into Bruno's wheelhouse as his team is forcing nearly 18 turnovers a game with its full-court pressure. Vanderbilt turned the ball over 26 times, Texas Southern 25, Loyola 21 and Rutgers 20.
Led by BIG EAST Player of the Week Sonya Morris an three-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Aneesah Morrow, DePaul's players will look to own each and every individual matchup on the Wintrust Arena court.
Morris had a career game last time out against Vanderbilt at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands, scoring a prodigious 36 points which is the most by a BIG EAST player this season. The splendid senior is No. 14 in the nation and No. 1 in the BIG EAST in field goals.
Morrow continued her early surge, and as of midweek was leading the nation among freshmen in rebounds and was second in points. Among all players nationwide, Morrow is No. 7 in blocks and No. 12 in rebounds.
The 6-foot, 1-inch forward is coming off back-to-back double-doubles at the Paradise Jam with an eye-opening 24 points and 16 rebounds (along with five steals and three blocks) against No. 7 Arizona followed by 28 points and 15 rebounds (plus five more steals) versus Vanderbilt.
The M&M combo are atop the DePaul scoring chart with Morrow averaging 18.4 points a game and Morris 17.3. Deja Church is contributing 13.1 points per game and Lexi Held is at 12.6 along with a team-leading 5.6 assists. She is No. 15 in the country in assists and is tied with Morrow at No. 17 in steals.
Darrione Rogers, Dee Bekleja, Kierra Collier and Kendall Holmes round out a deep backcourt supporting Morris, Church and Held.
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Players Mentioned
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