Wednesday, December 29
Indianapolis, Ind.
4:00 P.M. CT
DePaul University
at
Butler
Blue Demons Travel to Butler to Open BIG EAST Schedule
12/28/2021 2:37:00 PM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
DePaul and Butler scheduled for 5 p.m. ET start on Wednesday at Hinkle Fieldhouse
CHICAGO - DePaul opens the BIG EAST schedule on the road with a Wednesday evening game at Butler. The Bulldogs represent DePaul's third straight road opponent after the Blue Demons won at Louisville, 62-55, on Dec. 10 and at UIC, 72-66, on Dec. 14. DePaul opened the season by winning seven of eight games at Wintrust Arena.
Wednesday's game can be seen on FS1 starting at 5 p.m. ET with Wayne Randazzo (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 Dave Corzine (analyst) can be heard on WIND (560 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.
Butler enters the game at 7-4 overall following a 77-48 loss against No. 3/4 Purdue on Dec. 18 while DePaul is 9-1 after the six-point win at UIC two weeks ago.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 72-66 win at UIC on Dec. 14:
Trendy: The Blue Demons have outrebounded seven opponents (7-0) and attempted more free throws than the opponent in eight games (8-0)... DePaul has posted a win on every day of the week except Monday... the Blue Demons have made at least seven three-pointers in five (5-0) of 10 games... last season saw the team make at least seven three-pointers in five of 19 games... on the flip side over the last two games (first two road games of season), the Blue Demons are a combined 9-for-43 (.209) from behind the arc... with a 6-0 record in November, the Blue Demons have won 15 straight games in the month of November... DePaul did not play its first game last season until Dec. 23 due to various instances of COVID-19 protocols... November 2019 saw the Blue Demons go 8-0 while the 2018-19 season saw a 4-1 record with a win in the final game of the month that season... Javon Freeman-Liberty is ranked among the top three in the BIG EAST in scoring (1st), defensive rebounds (1st), minutes (2nd), rebounding (t2nd), steals (3rd) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd)... in the NCAA rankings, he is ranked 14th nationally in scoring and tied for 16th in defensive rebounds... as a team, DePaul ranks among the top three in the BIG EAST in scoring (2nd - 81.6 ppg), rebounding (2nd - 41.8 rpg), defensive rebounds (2nd - 29.5 drpg), scoring margin (3rd - +14.1), field goal percentage (3rd - .476), blocked shots (3rd - 5.6 bpg) and offensive rebounds (3rd - 12.3 orpg) and offensive rebound percentage (3rd - .340)... individually, two of the top four scorers in the BIG EAST are Freeman-Liberty (1st - 20.9 ppg) and David Jones (4th - 17.4 ppg)... three of the top 10 rebounders are Freeman-Liberty (t2nd - 8.3 rpg), Jones (t2nd - 8.3 rpg) and Brandon Johnson (10th - 7.2 rpg).
Johnson Joins the Roster: DePaul welcomed Javan Johnson as a graduate transfer to start BIG EAST play. Johnson played last season at Iowa State where he averaged 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. The 6-6 forward is a graduate transfer and became eligible to compete after he completed his degree requirements for the fall semester at Iowa State.
The Decatur, Ala., native, played in 21 games during the 2020-21 campaign for the Cyclones with 18 starts. In addition to his averages of 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, shot .700 at the free throw line with 19 blocks and 10 steals. Johnson posted nine games in double figures with season bests of 21 points at Texas and 20 points at Iowa.
Johnson played his first two collegiate seasons at Troy where he started 42 of his 63 games. As a sophomore in 2018-19, he averaged 10.4 points and 4.2 rebounds that followed a freshman campaign with averages of 5.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per outing.
The Opponent – Butler Bulldogs: Butler stands at 7-4 overall heading into the start of the BIG EAST schedule... a 77-48 loss against Purdue on Dec. 18 snapped a four-game win streak for the Bulldogs... Chuck Harris leads the team with 11.6 points per game... Jair Bolden adds 10.6 points per game while Jayden Taylor chips in 10.3 points per game... head coach LaVall Jordan is in his fifth season at Butler.
The Series: Wednesday is the 23rd all-time meeting between the two programs... Butler leads the series, 15-7... Butler claimed both meetings last season... the Blue Demons defeated the Blue Demons, 67-53, at Wintrust Arena and 68-58, at Hinkle Fieldhouse... the two sides split two meeting during the 2019-20 season... DePaul defeated then No. 5/5 Butler, 79-66, at Wintrust Arena... Butler posted a 60-42 victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse... Butler won the first meeting during the 1938-39 season by a score of 39-29 at the Chicago Armory... the two sides met in the 1940-41 season, twice during the 1970's and twice in the 1980's... since Butler joined the BIG EAST, the Bulldogs have won 14 of 16 meetings.
Up Next: DePaul hosts Providence on Saturday, Jan. 1:
Wednesday's game can be seen on FS1 starting at 5 p.m. ET with Wayne Randazzo (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 Dave Corzine (analyst) can be heard on WIND (560 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.
Butler enters the game at 7-4 overall following a 77-48 loss against No. 3/4 Purdue on Dec. 18 while DePaul is 9-1 after the six-point win at UIC two weeks ago.
Demon Doings: Notes following DePaul's 72-66 win at UIC on Dec. 14:
- DePaul is now 35-7 against non-BIG EAST opponents in the last three seasons.
- DePaul is 30-11 against Chicagoland opponents (UIC, Loyola, Northwestern) since the start of the 2000-01 season... the Blue Demons dropped a 68-64 against Loyola Chicago on Dec. 4 and the Dec. 18 game at Northwestern was canceled.
- DePaul is 7-1 this season when leading at halftime.
- Yor Anei passed 185 career blocked shots with his second blocked shot in the first half.
- Javon Freeman-Liberty made his 90th consecutive start... he recorded his 65th career game in double figures and 27th game of at least 20 points.
- David Jones just missed his third double-double of the season with 15 points and nine rebounds... he has scored in double figures in nine of 10 games this season.
- Nick Ongenda moved into a tie for 16th place on DePaul's all-time blocked shots list with his two rejections... Ongenda's 73 blocked shots are tied with Curtis Price (1988-93).
- DePaul leads the series, 10-2... the Blue Demons are 67-14 all-time against the current alignment of Horizon League programs.
Trendy: The Blue Demons have outrebounded seven opponents (7-0) and attempted more free throws than the opponent in eight games (8-0)... DePaul has posted a win on every day of the week except Monday... the Blue Demons have made at least seven three-pointers in five (5-0) of 10 games... last season saw the team make at least seven three-pointers in five of 19 games... on the flip side over the last two games (first two road games of season), the Blue Demons are a combined 9-for-43 (.209) from behind the arc... with a 6-0 record in November, the Blue Demons have won 15 straight games in the month of November... DePaul did not play its first game last season until Dec. 23 due to various instances of COVID-19 protocols... November 2019 saw the Blue Demons go 8-0 while the 2018-19 season saw a 4-1 record with a win in the final game of the month that season... Javon Freeman-Liberty is ranked among the top three in the BIG EAST in scoring (1st), defensive rebounds (1st), minutes (2nd), rebounding (t2nd), steals (3rd) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd)... in the NCAA rankings, he is ranked 14th nationally in scoring and tied for 16th in defensive rebounds... as a team, DePaul ranks among the top three in the BIG EAST in scoring (2nd - 81.6 ppg), rebounding (2nd - 41.8 rpg), defensive rebounds (2nd - 29.5 drpg), scoring margin (3rd - +14.1), field goal percentage (3rd - .476), blocked shots (3rd - 5.6 bpg) and offensive rebounds (3rd - 12.3 orpg) and offensive rebound percentage (3rd - .340)... individually, two of the top four scorers in the BIG EAST are Freeman-Liberty (1st - 20.9 ppg) and David Jones (4th - 17.4 ppg)... three of the top 10 rebounders are Freeman-Liberty (t2nd - 8.3 rpg), Jones (t2nd - 8.3 rpg) and Brandon Johnson (10th - 7.2 rpg).
Johnson Joins the Roster: DePaul welcomed Javan Johnson as a graduate transfer to start BIG EAST play. Johnson played last season at Iowa State where he averaged 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. The 6-6 forward is a graduate transfer and became eligible to compete after he completed his degree requirements for the fall semester at Iowa State.
The Decatur, Ala., native, played in 21 games during the 2020-21 campaign for the Cyclones with 18 starts. In addition to his averages of 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, shot .700 at the free throw line with 19 blocks and 10 steals. Johnson posted nine games in double figures with season bests of 21 points at Texas and 20 points at Iowa.
Johnson played his first two collegiate seasons at Troy where he started 42 of his 63 games. As a sophomore in 2018-19, he averaged 10.4 points and 4.2 rebounds that followed a freshman campaign with averages of 5.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per outing.
The Opponent – Butler Bulldogs: Butler stands at 7-4 overall heading into the start of the BIG EAST schedule... a 77-48 loss against Purdue on Dec. 18 snapped a four-game win streak for the Bulldogs... Chuck Harris leads the team with 11.6 points per game... Jair Bolden adds 10.6 points per game while Jayden Taylor chips in 10.3 points per game... head coach LaVall Jordan is in his fifth season at Butler.
The Series: Wednesday is the 23rd all-time meeting between the two programs... Butler leads the series, 15-7... Butler claimed both meetings last season... the Blue Demons defeated the Blue Demons, 67-53, at Wintrust Arena and 68-58, at Hinkle Fieldhouse... the two sides split two meeting during the 2019-20 season... DePaul defeated then No. 5/5 Butler, 79-66, at Wintrust Arena... Butler posted a 60-42 victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse... Butler won the first meeting during the 1938-39 season by a score of 39-29 at the Chicago Armory... the two sides met in the 1940-41 season, twice during the 1970's and twice in the 1980's... since Butler joined the BIG EAST, the Bulldogs have won 14 of 16 meetings.
Up Next: DePaul hosts Providence on Saturday, Jan. 1:
- DePaul hosts Providence on New Year's Day... the game is the first at Wintrust Arena since Dec. 7... start time is 2 p.m... the game can be seen on FOX and heard on WSCR (670 AM).
- The Friars lead the all-time series, 34-13... DePaul knocked off Providence, 70-62, in the last meeting on March 10, 2021 in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament.
- Head coach Ed Cooley is in his 11th season at Providence.
Players Mentioned
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