DePaul Basketball

Seriously who did DePaul just hire?

This is the big splash that we were promised a few weeks back?

After waiting for months as this coaching search has dragged on DePaul finally made their choice.

They have hired Clemson coach Oliver Purnell.

Again I will ask. Who?

Oliver has spent time at 4 schools: Radford, Old Dominion, Dayton and Clemson. He spent 3 years each at Radford and Old Dominion before spending 9 seasons at Dayton. After going 24-6 and making it to the NCAA tourney he left Dayton and headed to Clemson where he has spent the past 7 seasons.

Purnell who just signed a two year extension this past summer with the Tigers left the Clemson faithful in shock. He led them this past season to a 21-11 season that ended in a first round loss to Missouri.

Why is he leaving a team that he led to the big dance for the last 3 seasons for a team that hasn't made it since 2004?

I can understand why DePaul would hire Oliver because he has a track record for building up teams however he bolts everytime for the next big thing. He was making $1.3 million per year at Clemson and reportedly has signed a 7 year $15 million contract.

Odds on him pulling a Leitao before his contract is up?

What happened to Steve Lavin or Reggie Theus?

What about former DePaul greats like Rod Strickland or Ty Corbin?

As someone who spent some time at DePaul hopefully this move works out but hiring a journeyman coach with no Chicago ties and who seems to head for the next big pay day before finishing the job has me doubting.

Side-note wanna know really how far DePaul has fallen? While trying to put this article in the proper place on the site it asked me to pick the college basketball team....DePaul wasn't listed.

Check out all my thoughts on Chicago Sports

After seven seasons, 138 wins, and three tournament appearances, coach Oliver Purnell has decided to leave Clemson for $greener$ pastures. He is off to the windy city to coach the lowly DePaul Blue Demons.

The move appears to be a win-win for Purnell. After appearing to hit a wall with Clemson, three consecutive first round NCAA tournament exits, he gets a fresh start with a new team in a new conference, and is rumored to be receiving top tier money.

The more interesting question is whether this was the best move for DePaul.

At first glance, it appears Purnell is the right man for the job. In his over twenty years as a head coach, he has turned around four different programs; Radford, Old Dominion, Dayton, and Clemson.

In each case, Purnell inherited a losing program, and in a short period of time was able to improve their fortunes. The year before he arrived at Dayton, the Flyers were 6-21. Two seasons later, Purnell had them at 15-14, and in his last season, they were 24-6 and conference champions.

He was able to do similar things at Clemson. When he took the job, the Tigers hadn't made the postseason in five years. In his second season, they made the NIT, and in each of his subsequent seasons, the Tigers made either the NIT or NCAA tournament.

His ability to bring a program back from the dead is what turned DePaul on to him. This will surely be his most daunting task. He comes into a Blue Demons team that finished this past season dead last in the Big East with an overall record of 8-23 and only one conference win. They haven't been to the big dance since '04.

Despite Purnell's impressive accolades, after digging a bit deeper, I found some things that have me questioning this hire.

First, Purnell has no ties to the Chicago area. Half of your duties as head coach are recruiting. If he is going to win games in the ultra competitive Big East Conference, he needs talent. What does he know about recruiting in the greater Chicago area? He coached in Virginia at Radford and Old Dominion, in Ohio at Dayton, and most recently in South Carolina at Clemson. Yes, he may be able to lure some east coast players to DePaul, but if he wants to have any extended success, he will need to lock down some local talent, of which Chicago has plenty.

Secondly, he has never won an NCAA tournament game. He has taken Clemson to three consecutive NCAA tourneys, only to lose in the first round each time. Most recently was this season, when they fell short to Missouri. Overall, he is 0-6 in the tournament, which ranks as third worst in NCAA history.

Lastly, at 56, he is not a young man. This is not Radford. At the moment, this DePaul team has very little skill. Turning them around is going to take time. It doesn't make it any easier that they play in the deepest conference in college basketball. Is he willing to put in the needed time?

After reviewing both sides of the argument, I don't think it unfair to question whether his heart is really in it, or if the big bucks were too much to turn down. Only time will tell...

Here is the second update of coaching changes that have taken place so far in college basketball. To check out the first edition, click here.

Danny Hurley (St. Benedict's Prep, Newark, N.J.) to Wagner

Danny Hurley is stepping into a tough role where he will have to rebuild a team that went 5-26 in 2009-10 and gave the Bryant Bulldogs their only win of the season. 

Hurley was a winner at the high school level, going 223-21 at St. Benedict's Prep. He also has experience at the college level, having been an assistant at Rutgers. 

Oliver Purnell (Clemson) to DePaul

Oliver Purnell made the decision to leave Clemson to take a job at DePaul. Purnell wanted a challenge, and he will undoubtedly get it with the Blue Demons, who have won one Big East game in the last two years. 

James Dickey (Former Coach at Texas Tech, Assistant at Oklahoma St.) to Houston

James Dickey was hired by Houston last week. Dickey had a lot of success at Texas Tech in the 1990s, but has not been a head coach since he was fired in 2001. Dickey then spent six seasons as an assistant at Oklahoma State. 

Boston College Pursuing Steve Donahue (Cornell)

It seems like Boston College's top choice for a new coach is Steve Donahue. The only question is if Donahue's first choice is Boston College. Donahue has already had meetings with Boston College. If Donahue does not sign with Boston College, the other candidates are Bill Coen (Northeastern) and Ed Cooley (Fairfield). 

Open Spot at Tulane

Tulane has reported that there are three main candidates to replace Dave Dickerson: Mike Rice (Robert Morris), Ernie Kent (Former coach at Oregon), and Ed Conroy (Citadel). 

Siena Coaching Position Still Open

Siena has continued to interview its main candidates. No candidates have been completely taken out of the running, but none have been added. The candidates are still Mitch Bounaguro (Siena assistant), Bill Coen (Northeastern), Steve Donahue (Cornell), and Cliff Warren (Jacksonville).

Fran Fraschilla Turns Down Iona

Fran Fraschilla turned down the Iona job this past weekend. Supposedly, Fraschilla was expecting to have more opportunities at ESPN with Steve Lavin leaving the network. Now that Fraschilla is out of the race, the frontrunner for the Iona position is Louisville assistant Steve Masiello. Masiello has a lot of experience in New York and was an assistant coach at Manhattan College for four years. 

Check back for more updates on coaching changes in college basketball. 

Steve Lavin was hired yesterday to fill the coaching vacancy at St. John's University in New York,crossing yet another potential candidate for the Depaul job off the proverbial list. The administration has been pretty quiet about the search, leaving many to suspect that there simply isn't enough interest in the job. Something that AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto promises isn't the case.

It is clearly evident that the administration has fallen behind in the national coach search. So far,UTEP's Tony Barbee,UCLA's Ben Howland, Jamie Dixon, and Paul Hewit have been crossed off the unofficial  wish list. This can mean two things,one being and that the real candidates are all still playing in the final four(Coach K,Brad Stevens,Tom Izzo,Bob Huggins),or two, the interest simply isn't there. The first scenario is pretty unlikely, as at least three of those four will probably never leave their current jobs, and since Brad Stevens has led Butler to the final four, even his name seems like a pipe dream.
        
It is hard to get an accurate read on the events that have taken place since the end of the season, but from the looks of things it doesn't seem like anyone has even interviewed for the job yet. To me, this is absolutely unacceptable. It has become obvious that the administration let the program fall apart by allowing Jerry Wainwright remain in charge after an 0-16 conference record. Instead of behaving like any big-time university basketball program would have and firing the coach, they let the win less conference streak continue until January. In my opinion, the second consecutive terrible season has shown the nation that this program has hit rock bottom, therefore making the job look like a lost cause.

This coaching search is on the verge of becoming an embarrassment. This is compounded by the fact that the administration keeps talking about how much money they are willing to pay for a top tier coach, and that they were looking for somebody that was currently coaching to take the job. They did reach out to Tony Barbee, but before they could interview him, Auburn snatched him up. For some reason they didn't even attempt to interview Steve Lavin, even though he expressed interest in the job. I know that Lavin hasn't coached in 7 years, but the truth of the matter is that man could win(145-78 at UCLA).

Assuming then nothing happens this week, it is apparent that university may have to settle for Southern Illinois' Chris Lowery, Billy Garret, or interim head coach Tracy Webster. If that happens, I believe that the coaching search should be deemed a failure, and it will be time for the university to start looking for a new athletic director. They have said time and again that there are going for the home run, but so far all they've done is struck out. This program is close to many people Spartans, and they deserve someone that is able to run it and turn it into something that it once was. As nice of a person Jeanie is, business does not reward personality, it rewards hard work and good decisions, the work is obviously there, but the good decisions simply haven't been there.

Here's hoping that I am pleasantly surprised next week.

Quick. Raise your hand if you’re under 30, love college basketball, and can remember when DePaul basketball was actually good.

Can’t do it? Neither can I.

DePaul basketball in my basic lifetime has had only short periods of greatness with players like Quentin Richardson and Bobby Simmons, guys who made it to the NBA.

Not to mention that once upon a time, the Blue Demons were coached by a grandfatherly figure in Ray Meyer, who led the Blue Demons to two Final Fours and coached greats like George Mikan, Terry Cummings, and Mark Aguirre during his 42 years as head man in Lincoln Park.

So to sum it up, DePaul basketball has had some great teams—the only problem is that most of those teams were before my time.

On Monday, while I was spending useless time on Twitter between classes, I read an announcement about a job opening. Knowing that I didn’t want anything like last summer, when I spent like seven weeks after being let go from a temp job on my mom’s couch and Twitter, I decided to take a look at it.

Except instead of a summer job, this was something bigger.

The powers that be at DePaul University, which is a Catholic institution like Christian Brothers, decided that since they couldn’t find their own version of John Calipari, the best way to get interest was by posting an ad on the Internet.

Meaning that anyone who was the anti-Bobby Gonzalez, which would make for 80 percent of the coaching world, could get a chance at coaching the worst basketball program in the Big East.

Including me.

“I’m planning to apply for the head job for DePaul basketball,” I said to former CBU basketball player Kyle Couvion on Wednesday night.

“DePaul?” he asked, “Where’s that?”

Now mind you, Couvion is from Dayton, which has a Catholic university that at least tries to win in basketball.

“It’s in Chicago,” I replied, “They’re desperate.”

On Tuesday, during the show, I mentioned my desire to coach basketball at DePaul to my friend and neighbor “Ducky” Shute.

“Promise me,” I said, “that if I get the job, you and the rest of the crew come up to Chicago and frequent the many bars they have in Lincoln Park.”

“I’ve never been to Chicago,” she said to me.

“Then it would be perfect if I get it,” I said. “Wrigleyville has the best bars in the city, and you guys can have drinks on me.”

"Sweet," she said.

After mentioning this to my friends, I realized something.

There's no way the Blue Demons are going to take a chance on hiring a kid who's still in college to run their basketball program.

However, in order to make DePaul basketball mean something in Chicago once again, the right hire has to be made, and the administration needs to make a strong commitment to the program.

Then maybe the blue-chippers will consider playing in Chicago.

Review originally posted on www.stadiumjourney.com

The All State Arena is the prototypical “multi-use” facility.  Currently, it is the home to the DePaul Blue Demons men’s basketball team, as well as the WNBA Chicago Sky, AHL Chicago Wolves, and Arena Football League Chicago Rush.  Beyond that, the venue has hosted numerous concerts and other events since its opening in 1980.

While it can be described as flexible due to its wide range of hosting abilities, it can also be described as somewhat stale, lacking a clear personality.  My biggest complaint though is not that it’s a multi-use facility, but that it lacks any real student presence.

Located in the northern Chicago suburb of Rosemont, the All State Arena feels like an extension to an airport or shopping mall, not a highly energized college environment.

The University opened McGrath Arena in 2000 on the DePaul Lincoln Park campus, but unfortunately it only seats 3,000 fans so it is unsuitable for Big East basketball (it is however a great venue to see women’s basketball).

Until DePaul finds a more interesting home, it is difficult to imagine a time when DePaul basketball returns to the glory it saw under Ray Meyer.  If you have some time to kill before a flight at O’Hare, or are stuck in a hotel for a conference or convention, then you may want to go to a DePaul basketball game, but I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way.

FANFARE Score: 12

Food & Beverage: 3

The one advantage of not being located on a college campus is that there is beer and alcohol available for those who enjoy a cold one with their sports (Budweiser, Bud Light, and Guinness on tap, with several other bottled options). 

Pepsi products are available in souvenir cups, although the price tag of $5.75 leaves something to be desired. There is an adequate selection of offerings, including Connie’s Pizza, but nothing that is going to blow you away.

Atmosphere: 2

I was surprised, and somewhat dubious, when I saw the reported attendance of 7,512.  The facility seats 17,500 for basketball, and it seemed to be about 10-20 percent filled to me.  There were so many empty seats that I didn’t even bother trying to find my ticketed seat.  On the plus side, sightlines are good as long as you don’t end up on one of the ends, which feels far removed from the action.  Keep to the sidelines (north and south sections) of the arena for basketball.

The acoustics are good, and it can still get relatively loud in the arena.  Unfortunately for DePaul fans, there hasn’t been too much to cheer about over the last several years.  Sitting beneath Final Four banners (1943 and 1979) help, as do the retired number banners honoring players George Mikan and Mark Aguirre, and legendary coach Ray Meyer.

In the end though, this feels like the wrong home for DePaul basketball, and has no charm.

Neighborhood: 3

There is a large strip mall next door to the All State Arena that contains a Target and several chain restaurants.  Options include Chipotle, Chili’s, Cold Stone Creamery, IHOP, Panda Express, Steak n’ Shake, and Subway.  Also within walking distance is a Potbelly’s and a Starbucks.  This can either be interpreted as a wide variety of options, or a dull lineup of generic options.  From my tone, you may be able to guess my perspective.

I chose to grab some grub at a nearby Harry Caray’s restaurant (less than a mile away).  To be fair, this is a chain as well, but one that is restricted to the Chicago area, so it feels a bit more special.  Also, Harry Caray’s serves up some of the best steaks in the city.  While you certainly will get lighter in the wallet (steaks range from $30-45), you will walk away feeling satisfied.

Fans: 1

The student section was one of the most pitiful examples of such a gathering as I have witnessed.  Anytime the number of members of the pep band is greater than the number of students in the student section, then you have a weak student section (the band was decent I should add).

What’s worse is that the public address announcer introduced the student section as the “sixth man” during player introductions.  Either they have a sick sense of humor, or they are blind, and calling attention to the group was outright laughable.

There are a few diehards in the crowd, but for the most part, the spectators are sparse and predictable.

Access: 2

The good news is that it’s easy to get in and out of the arena, and there is plenty of parking available in the parking lot.  The bad news is that parking costs $11, and there are no real options besides coming by car.  Bathrooms are reasonably clean, but seemed tucked away, especially in the upper levels. The only access to the upper level is by steep staircase or astonishingly slow elevator.

Return on Investment: 1

My $20 ticket, $11 parking, and $6 soda brought my in-arena total to $37.  The lone merchandise stand offered t-shirts starting at $15, DePaul mini basketballs ($12), and DePaul pennants ($10), none of which I particularly liked.  Overall, it would take someone paying me to go back to a DePaul game anytime soon.

Etc: 0

There is nothing extraordinary about attending a DePaul basketball game.  A trip to the All State Arena is a trip to blandville.

Paul Swaney is a Co-Founder of Stadium Journey.

Anybody walking out  of the Allstate Arena in Rosemont Illinois Saturday afternoon knew one thing for sure, there is something different about Depaul. in the past four years, an upset of Kansas notwithstanding, every time a big name team came into Chicago, you knew that a 20 point massacre was on the way. That may not be the case anymore Since the firing of Jerry Wainwright at the beginning of January, the team has been steadily improving under  interim coach Tracy  Webster.

After two embarrassing losses to St. John's and Villanova, Webster's team appeared to begin playing with pride and a new found confidence which resulted in the program's first win in regular-season Big East play in 25 games against Marquette. The last-second victory has been the brightest spot in the team's improvement over the last month, but isn't the only thing that is showing. On Saturday afternoon, Depaul played fourth-ranked Syracuse and led almost the entire game, before giving up the lead late in the second half, losing when a last-second shot by senior Will Walker didn't go down.

 Though the team didn't win, it was the third game in a row that the Blue Demons had at least put up a fight against a superior team. After the exciting victory over Marquette, the team headed to South Bend to face bitter rival Notre Dame. The Demons were competitive throughout only losing by 10. Later that week, Depaul faced off against a West Virginia team that was ranked the top 10. In that game, the Demons cut a big West Virginia lead to four twice, before some questionable officiating took them out of rhythm. While they lost that game by 16 points, their perseverance and tough play really shone through.

On Saturday, the Demons built an 18 point first-half lead, by taking it directly to a well executed Syracuse zone defense. The team appeared to be well prepared for what they would see on the court, and were able to tailor an  offense capable of taking advantage of the few weaknesses of the Orange. This is a welcome change for a team that often came out looking very unprepared, and unable to make adjustments during the game under Wainwright. The fact that they lost does not indicate that the demons are a bad team, rather it highlights how much better this team is with the current coaching staff, then it ever was with the old one.

One of the changes that has been most illuminating has to do with the play of junior transfer Mike Stovall. According to an article on ESPNChicago.com, Stovall was recruited to play point guard, but was having trouble embracing that role, because of turnovers. Even though it was obvious that he was struggling at the point, the coaching staff didn't seem to know what to do with him, so he didn't figure much into the lineup. However one of the first things that Tracy Webster and his staff did was switch things up and put Mike out on the wing. they told him to "stop playing like a point guard" and put up more shots. The first game that they did this, against Providence, Stovall scored 30 points. The next week, Stovall hit the game-winning shot against Marquette. He has shown the ability to become the third scorer for a team that badly needs one. Instead of basically having a two-man game between Will Walker and Mac Koshwal, the Demons have a third option, that also happens to be a good shooter. Since making the switch, not only have the Demons looked better, but Stovall has averaged 14 points per game.

Another interesting piece of information that has come out thanks to Mike Stovall has to do with recruiting. According to him he has been talking to top Illinois recruit Wayne Blackshear (verbal commitment to Louisville), and that Wayne is seriously considering coming to Depaul. While this is probably only a rumor, this is how things get started in Chicago, if one player begins to have success by staying home and attending Depaul, other players want to do it to. A player such as Wayne Blackshear, could open up the floodgates to Chicago talent that seem to have been closed since the days of Pat Kennedy.

While this is the most obvious change  that has taken place so far, it is fair to say that it seems as though Webster has done more coaching in a month than Jerry Wainwright has done in the past two years. The interesting thing is that the offense the team is running it's not that different than the offense that  they ran under Jerry, it just seems to be better executed. The introduction of pick and roll, and drives and kickout plays has added a different dimension to an offense that struggled to score points. But just because a team struggles to score points doesn't mean that you have to grind the game and win ugly. if you play your cards right and you can keep the score low and slow down the gamewithout looking terrible. This is definitely something we have seen over the past month with Webster. The team is still doing essentially the same thing, only they are better at it.Webster has been playing his cards right night in and night out.

While I am not sure if the university should take the risk of hiring a coach with no head coaching experience, the way the team has been improving  game by game, Webster would at least have to be part of the discussion. if the team continues to improve over the home stretch of the season, and they win a few more games, the administration should definitely consider either promoting him to head coach, or at least keeping him and the other two assistants on the staff.Time will tell, but it sure does seem that this guy may have what it takes to begin the great turnaround that this program has been looking for. Check back tomorrow for an article about the other available coaches that the university has on their radar screens.

The DePaul basketball program is on a brink of failure. This year they've accomplished little to nothing and their record has proven it. DePaul basketball team holds a (7-9) record and are currently tied for last in the Big East with a (0-4) record. They've now lost 22 straight conference games and lost their coach Jerry Wainright, what could possibly go right for the Blue Demons

Their recruiting class! DePaul as of now has already had three prospects commit verbally. 

Brandon Young is touted as one of the top players out of high school this year. Brandon ranks 33 in his position and 147 nationally with a grade of 91. Young is more like a pusher, he is quick on his feet, great ball handling skills, and a fast dribble that drives defenders crazy. He is best when he is in the open court, he knows how to finish on the break and he never lets fatigue be a factor in any game. Look for him to be productive out in the backcourt.

DePaul have also snagged small forward Moses Morgan, and center Walter Pitchford both players with the potential to be good players.

More players are interested in the DePaul program but haven’t made the deal official yet. Key names such as J.J Thomas the 6-5 small forward, Phillip Jackson the 6-9 power forward, and Anali Okoloji the 6-8 small forward.

All these players will make huge contributions to the DePaul program that is struggling. The offense doesn’t score many points; only averaging 60 a game. These players can create huge depth, something that DePaul lacks as you on hear Walker and Koshwal names more often than not.

With these recruits DePaul won’t be spectacular, but they won’t allow teams to run over them as they did in the past. Look for DePaul to make a strong stance next season if they land these recruits

Big East coach Jerry Wainwright could be out of his job early. A source close to ESPN has said that he will be announced as being let go in a press conference this morning at 11 am.

DePaul has lost 21 straight Big East games, and some under the radar losses to teams they should’ve beaten.

DePaul is currently last in the Big East standing and are playing some of the worst basketball in the country. DePaul holds a (7-8) record, and are (0-3) in the Big East. Their offense is based around two players; Will Walker, and Mac Koshwal. The Blue Demons are riding a 4-game losing streak as well as being winless on the road this season.

This season they’re offense only scores 60.7 points a game, they allow 63.6 to opposing teams. However they may not be a stellar offensive team, but their decent on the defensive side of the ball. They’ve only allowed 4 teams to score 70+ on them.

DePaul will most likely promote one of their assistant coaches and search for coach after the season ends.  Jerry Wainwright hasn’t always been a bad coach; he actually has a winning resume. He had early success with the Blue Demons, and this year you could say injuries played a big part with their record.

Their best Player Mac Koshwal had to battle a few injuries and with him in the lineup they have recorded a 2-1 record and their best player from last year being lost to the NBA Draft. So all the blame cannot be put on Wainwright, but he is a key reason why they have been winless in the last 21 Big East games.

Seeing that he has an impressive resume with winning season at three schools including DePaul, plus a USA Basketball coaching opportunity he could possibly get another coaching job.

Head Coach: Jerry Wainright; 52-72 at DePaul in four years

Previous Season: 9-24; 0-18 Big East (16th)

Departures: PG Jabari Currie, C Matija Poscic, F Dar Tucker

Additions: G/F Mike Stovall, G Nate Rogers, G Joe Belcaster, F Tony Freeland, G/F Eric Wallace, G Ryan Siggins

Last season, DePaul became the first team in the Big East since Miami in 93-94 to go winless in the conference during the regular season. The Blue Demons started off the year 4-0, but defeats to California, Northwestern, Morgan State, and UCLA sent the team into a tailspin.

Early on, DePaul had some close losses in conference play. However, as the season progressed, DePaul was getting blown out even by the lesser teams in the conference.

DePaul showed renewed energy during the Big East Tournament by defeating Cincinnati before losing a tough game to Providence.

Coach Wainwright fired three assistant coaches, including his son, Scott. Dar Tucker left two years early for the NBA Draft.

Although Tucker averaged 18.5 points per game, he attempted too many shots as the rest of the team stood around and watched him play. This year, the team will focus on being tougher on defense and working together more as a team.

One has to wonder if DePaul can recover from such an embarrassing season without a total overhaul and a new direction.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Jeremiah Kelly, 6'1'', 170 lbs, So. (4.3 PPG, 2.4 APG, 1.5 RPG, 33 FG%, 53 FT%)

Kelly was forced to play more minutes than Wainright anticipated after starting point guard Jabari Currie was lost for the season with a knee injury.  Kelly struggled most of the season, but displayed good ball-handling skills and leadership ability during the Big East Tournament.

SG Will Walker, 6'0", 190 lbs, Sr. (14.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 42 FG%, 66 FT%)

After struggling in the first half of the season, Walker made 43 three-pointers and averaged 19.8 points over his last 12 games. He moves well without the ball and displays good form on his shot.

The Blue Demons would like to play Walker more at the point this year so the team can present a larger lineup on the floor. However, for this to become an effective strategy, Walker's ballhandling must improve.

SF Eric Wallace, 6'6'', 215 lbs, So.

Wallace is a transfer from Ohio State. As a freshman for the Buckeyes, Wallace averaged 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 15 games. His career high in scoring is 10 points against Iowa.

Wallace provides DePaul with a athletic option at the small forward position.  He will certainly entertain the home crowd with his ability to dunk.

After spending a year guarding Tucker in practice, Wallace is eager to display his rebounding and defensive abilities in real games.

PF Devin Hill, 6'9", 200 lbs, So. (3.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 31 FG%, 27 FT%)

Due to his slender frame, Hill is at his best when the pace is fast so he can shoot jumpers off the fast break and use his wingspan to deflect passes and block shots.

Hill needs to get stronger to keep defenders away from Mac Koshwal and help the Big East's second-worst rebounding team.

F/C Mac Koshwal 6'10'', 255 lbs, Jr. (12.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 0.4 BPG, 53 FG%, 58 FT%)

Koshwal put his name into the NBA Draft last spring knowing nobody wanted a player from a team that couldn't win a conference game. However, Koshwal received positive feedback during several official workouts.

Although Walker may be the leading scorer for DePaul, Koshwal is the best overall player for the Blue Demons. Koshwal is a physical player who wants the ball inside as much as possible.

Koshwal needs to become more consistent as a player, but is hampered by the lack of inside help as he wears down physically by the end of the season. Fans will look for Koshwal to have a huge season for DePaul and leave after the year ends for the NBA.

Projected Contributors

G Joe Belcaster 6'2'', 160 lbs, Fr.

Belcaster is joining the team as a walk-on from Chicago. As a senior, he led Morton High School to a 23-6 record. Last season, he averaged 14.0 points, 9.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds.

PG Michael Bizoukas 6'1'', 175 lbs, So. (2.0 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.6 RPG, 31 FG%, 52 FT%)

Bizoukas will be asked to come off the bench as a point guard. After last season's debut, he is mentally ready to defend the best guards the Big East has to offer. Bizoukas needs to improve his shooting in order to receive more playing time.

C Krys Faber 6'11", 260 lbs, So. (1.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG,  0.3 BPG, 49 FG%, 42 FT%)

Faber had the coaching staff excited when he scored 11 points in his first Big East game. Unfortunately, Faber only scored 16 points the rest of the season.

Faber needs to grow into a solid role player to help with DePaul with rebounding and give Koshwal an opportunity to play less minutes and stay out of foul difficulty.

F Tony Freeland, 6'6'', 200 lbs, Fr.

Freeland was named one of the top 300 players in the Class of 2009 by Athlon Sports. He joins the Blue Demons after averaging 21.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocked shots during his senior season at Freemont High School in California.

Freeland plays tougher inside than his height suggests that he would. Freeland is a hard worker that will definitely give DePaul some needed heart and athleticism. On the negative side, Freeman is still waiting for academic clearance from the NCAA.

C Kene Obi, 7'2", 275 lbs, So. (1.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.2 BPG, 41 FG%, 60 FT%)

Obi is the fifth seven-footer to play for DePaul, but he needs to improve in all areas to ever be considered the best.

Last season as a redshirt freshman, Obi scored nine points against Pittsburgh. His first basket as a collegiate came on a dunk against Southern.

G Nate Rogers 6'1'', 185 lbs, Fr.

Rogers has joined the team as a walk-on from Maywood, Illinois. As a senior, Rogers averaged 13.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

Rogers is a strong defensive player but will mainly be used to make DePaul's bench look full.

G Ryan Siggins 6'5'', 210 lbs, Fr.

Siggins is a walk-on from Kettering, Ohio. As a senior at Archbishop Alter, he averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. For his strong play, Siggins was named honorable mention All-State.

G/F Mike Stovall 6'5'', 200 lbs, Jr.

Last season, Stovall played for Mineral Area Community College and averaged 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. As a freshman for Oregon State, he averaged 5.4 minutes per game and appeared in seven contests.

Stovall provides DePaul with some versatility, and the coaching staff hopes he gives the Blue Demons key minutes off the bench and adds needed leadership.

F Mario Stula 6'7'', 210 lbs, Jr. (1.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 26 FG%, 80 FT%)

Stula was suppose to become a viable option from three-point range but showed little accuracy from that distance until the win versus Cincinnati. Stula only made 10 of 37 shots from long range all season long.

Hopefully, a positive end to the season will give Stula confidence heading into this year.

Key Games

Nov. 17 Columbia: A good chance of DePaul starting the season 1-0.

Nov. 20 @ Northern Iowa: The Panthers made to the NCAA Tournament last season. A win would give DePaul needed confidence.

Dec. 28 @ Pittsburgh: This is the first conference game of the season. An early upset of an established team would create momentum.

Jan. 14 Providence: Hopefully, the team would have a conference win by then. If DePaul doesn't, this is a must win against a team that may be worse than DePaul.

Mar. 2 South Florida: It is bad enough that DePaul has struggled recently. Matters are only made worse when it loses badly to a team that is only in the Big East for its football program.

Season Outlook

Coach Wainwright's future with DePaul is definitely on the line this season. However, one has to wonder why he chose assistants that are known for recruiting if this is his last season.

Koshwal and Walker are the only proven players on the roster. It will take loads of improvement in all areas for DePaul to finish in the top half of the Big East. Making the NIT would be considered a tremendous accomplishment for this team.

Many fans laughed at Tucker when he was not drafted by the NBA. Those same people believe the team will improve just because Tucker is gone.

However, if the team doesn't buy into Wainwright's system and early losses lead to poor effort on the court, Tucker may get the last laugh.