Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2, 20-2) at DePaul Blue Demons (0-10, 8-15)

Saturday, Feb. 7—2:00 PM EST

Preview

The Blue Demons (0-10, 8-15) are yet to win a Big East game this season, and it doesn't look like they are going to get their first on Saturday when they host Pittsburgh (7-2, 20-2).

The Panther's two losses have come in conference play—a six point loss to Louisville (which knocked them out of the top national ranking), and a 10 point loss to Villanova. Since losing to the Wildcats, though, Pitt has won two games—a 13 point victory over Notre Dame, and a 20 point win over NEC-leading Robert Morris.

DePaul has not won a game since Dec. 28, and their losing margin has not been exactly close. After losing to Marquette by nine, the Blue Demons have rattled off three losses of 22, 19, and 15 points.

The bad news for the Blue Demons is that their two stars—Dar Tucker (F, 18.5 PPG) and Mac Koshwal (C, 13.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG)—are going to be matched up with DeJuan Blair (F, 14.9 PPG, 12.7 RPG) and Sam Young (F, 18.1 PPG) under the basket.

If the Blue Demons stand a chance of upsetting Pitt, they are going to need nothing short of a miracle. The question becomes by how much will Pitt be able to pull away.

By The Numbers

Prediction

Current Line: Pitt -15.0

Pittsburgh ATS: 10-6, 8-5 when favored.
DePaul ATS: 4-13, 3-10 when underdog.

This is only the fourth time these two teams will meet, and Pitt leads the series 2-1 ATS.

As I said above, Pitt's been on a roll and is in the midst of a fantastic season. But that doesn't change the fact that DePaul's two stars (who were both Big East All-Freshman last season) are going to give Young and Blair trouble under the basket.

The Blue Demons aren't going to win this one, but they're going to be able to keep it closer than 15.

Ryan's Pick: DePaul +15.0

*This article is also featured on CBBPlace.com*

*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

Marquette Golden Eagles (8-0, 19-2) at DePaul Blue Demons (0-9, 8-14)

Tuesday, Feb. 3—9:00 PM EST

Preview

The DePaul Blue Demons (0-9, 8-14) are on the verge of achieving an accomplishment that we rarely see—going 0-10 in conference play. At the start of every season, the college basketball community anxiously awaits to see which teams can start 10-0. At this point of the season, fans cringe at the mere thought of doing the inverse in conference play.

Marquette (No. 8 AP, No. 8 Coaches, 8-0, 19-2) has been on fire since the beginning of Big East play—they are undefeated and are showing no signs of slowing down. Their perfect run hasn't exactly led them through the cream of the crop, but they have faced some worthy opponents—knocking both Notre Dame and Georgetown out of the top 25.

Marquette is going to have their work cut out for them at the end of the season—they face some of the toughest teams in the Big East in a matter of days—but there is no denying that they are currently one of the best teams in the Big East.

This is the second time that these two have faced off—the first was a little over one week ago when Marquette defeated the Blue Demons by nine.

By The Numbers

Prediction

Current Line: Marquette -10.0

Marquette ATS: 9-6-1, 8-5-1 when favored.
DePaul ATS: 4-12, 3-9 when underdog.

Marquette has an average margin of victory of 14 points this season, while DePaul sits at negative four. Perhaps more fascinating then that, though, is that the average points that the Golden Eagles allow is more then the Blue Demons score on average. The difference between Marquette and DePaul's offenses is 16 points.

With a line only favoring Marquette by 10, this seems like a no-brainer.

As I said above, this is the second time these two have played this season. The first was on Jan. 24, when DePaul covered the 17-point spread. What's changed since then, though, is that Marquette has defeated two tough Big East teams (Notre Dame and Georgetown), while DePaul suffered two major blows—a 22-point loss to UConn and a 19-point loss to Rutgers.

Marquette is very hot right now, while DePaul is definitely not.

Ryan's Pick: Marquette -10.0

*This article is also featured on CBBPlace.com*

*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

DePaul Blue Demons (8-13) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-12)

Saturday, Jan. 31—8:00 PM EST

Preview

There can be only one.

The two remaining Big East winless teams face off Saturday for a battle for the bottom slot. Rutgers (0-8, 9-12) is coming off a very close game—a three-point loss to Seton Hall (which was picked correctly against the spread). DePaul (0-8, 8-13), on the other hand, is coming off a 22-point blowout against Connecticut.

Both teams have fallen short multiple times this season, although Rutgers has looked stronger than DePaul. The Scarlet Knights' defeats include opponents such as UNC (non-conference, but important to mention), Pitt, Connecticut, and Louisville. The Blue Demons have succumbed to South Florida twice (the only Big East team with an overall losing record at the start of conference play), Providence, and Cincinnati.

Stats:

Prediction:

Current Line: Rutgers -2.5

DePaul ATS: 4-11, 3-8 when underdog
Rutgers ATS: 8-7, 2-2 when favored

While momentum is hard to determine for two teams who have rattled off the consecutive losses these two have, the edge goes to Rutgers because of the opponents they have faced and how they've looked against them.

Ryan's Pick: Rutgers -2.5

*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

*This article is also featured on CBBPlace.com*

Fourteen second-half points were all DePaul (8-13, 0-8) could muster as #2 UConn (19-1, 8-1) coasted to a 71-49 victory over the Demons Wednesday night at the Allstate Arena.

The Huskies led by as many as 15 points midway through the first half, but the Demons headed to the locker room on the heels of a 15-6 run to cut the deficit to six at the half. However, in half number two, UConn turned up the heat defensively and erased any hope for an upset.

“In the second half, they [UCONN] got more physical on defense,” said head coach Jerry Wainwright. “They bumped us off screens and did a nice job of clogging up the middle and forcing us to the outside. They completely took Mac [Koshwul] out of the game.”

Ironically, UConn began to pull away from DePaul after the Huskies star center Hasheem Thabeet was taken out of the game after picking up his third foul. To that point, little used Demon center Kene Obi had done a nice job on Thabeet, limiting him to just 6 points and 5 rebounds, well under his season average.

In Thabeet’s absence, however, Jeff Adrien and Jerome Dyson combined for 30 points and 22 rebounds. The Demons grabbed just 21 rebounds the entire game.

Dar Tucker led all scorers with 20 points and Will Walker added 12 in the loss. Walker also led the Demons in rebounds with 6.

Up next for the Demons is a highly anticipated matchup tomorrow at Rutgers (9-11, 0-7) for all the wrong reasons: Neither team has yet to win a Big East game this season. Mounting pressure from fans and alumni and a schedule that includes six top-25 teams over the last nine games has put the Demons into must-win mode.

“We hear the media and the fans talking about it, no question,” Wainwright said. “It’s going to be hard to treat it like any other game, but we’ve got to try and focus and go in and play the way we know we can play. The situation is the same for Rutgers and they have the added pressure of playing at home, where you are always expected to win.”

In their last trip to Rutgers two years ago, DePaul won convincingly 60-37 and held the Scarlet Knights to their lowest point total in a home game in school history. Last season, DePaul was just able to hang on for a 75-73 victory at the Allstate Arena.

This coming Tuesday night, the Demons return home to face perennial rival Marquette. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Last Saturday, the Golden Eagles defeated the Demons 79-70 in Milwaukee.

Connecticut Huskies @ DePaul Blue Demons
Wednesday, Jan. 28—9:00 PM EST

Preview

The second ranked team in the country faces off against one of the few remaining Big East winless teams on Wednesday. The Connecticut Huskies (No. 2 AP, No. 2 Coaches, 7-1, 18-1) suffered their only loss of the season in the Big East opener against Georgetown.

DePaul (0-7, 8-12) has been disappointing in almost everyone's eyes this season—they are one of two Big East teams yet to win a conference game and now have an overall losing record (they even were defeated by South Florida twice).

UConn's success comes from all over the board, but the most notable difference between them and their opponents is that they have two players averaging double-doubles—Jeff Adrien (F, 14.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG) and Hasheem Thabeet (C, 13.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG)—while most teams are very lucky if they have one. Connecticut's guards are nothing to laugh at either—Jerome Dyson is averaging 13.5 PPG and A.J. Price is averaging 11.9 PPG along with 4.6 assists.

The Blue Devils have two returning All-Big East Rookies from last season—Dar Tucker (F, 18.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG) and Mac Koshwal (C, 14.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG). The other player on the squad who can make a difference is Will Walker (G, 11.8 PPG). Aside from those three, DePaul really has no one impacting games right now, which has been severely hurting them.

Stats

Prediction

Current Line: Connecticut -12.0

Connecticut ATS: 7-7, 5-7 when favored
DePaul ATS: 4-10, 3-7 when underdog

Tucker and Koshwal should match up nicely against Adrien and Thabeet, but the Connecticut guards are going to be a lot to handle.

While some of the Huskies games have been close, they have exceeded the 12 point spread on more than one occasion—they defeated Rutgers by 31 points, St. John's by 12, and Seton Hall by 15. DePaul has lost every conference game by an average of 11 points (by as many as 22 and as little as four). I am confident that Connecticut will be able to exceed that average.

Pick: Connecticut -12.0

*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

*This article is also featured on CFBPlace.com—and soon to be featured on CBBPlace.com*

Preview

The Marquette Golden Eagles (No. 11 AP, No. 10 Coaches, 5-0, 16-2) put their perfect conference play record on the line when they host the DePaul Blue Demons (0-6, 8-11) on Saturday. DePaul will be looking for their first conference play win and the chance to prove that their two losses to South Florida were, in fact, just bad games.

This will be the first of two games between these two teams, the second coming in a week and a half at DePaul.

Marquette has found success this season through Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal beyond the arc, who have been fed the ball by Dominic James (who averages just over five assists per game).

The Golden Eagles shortfall is with their lack of depth—they have four players averaging double-digit points per game, but then it drops off to low single digits. While foul trouble has not gotten the best of them yet, it's only a matter of time before they find themselves without their top scorers and in a world of hurt.

Stats

Prediction

Current Line: Marquette -17.0

DePaul ATS: 3-10, 2-7 when underdog
Marquette ATS: 7-5-1, 7-4-1 when favored

DePaul has not played conference play well by any means, but they have been within striking distance on a couple of them. While they have not played the very best the Big East has to offer, they have faced worthy opponents such as Notre Dame and Syracuse.

There has only been one conference game so far where they would not have covered the spread (when they lost to South Florida by 22). Marquette, on the other hand, would have covered this spread in two of their five conference games so far. Based on DePaul's potential (they can play much better than they have been so far), I don't see Marquette covering the spread.

Pick: DePaul +17.0

*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

*This article is also featured on CFBPlace.com—and soon to be featured on CBBPlace.com*

Somewhere, in the great beyond, Al McGuire is grinning and Ray Meyer is grabbing at his stomach like he has been sucker-punched. The present day version of McGuire's Golden Eagles and Meyer's Blue Demons meet for the 106th time this Saturday in Milwaukee for what was once a proud and often heated rivalry, but has now turned into little more than an exhibition of two programs headed in completely opposite directions.

Marquette enters Saturday's meeting No. 11 in the nation. The Golden Eagles are 16-2 and a perfect 5-0 in the Big East. All of this coming with first year head coach Buzz Williams at the helm after Tom Crean left for Indiana.

DePaul, on the other hand, bumbles into the game at 8-11, including an 0-6 mark in the Big East. After winning the first four games to start the season, the Demons have won just four out of the last 15.

In the only meeting last season between the two schools, the first 20 minutes proved to be hard-fought with Marquette squeaking out a two-point halftime advantage. However, a 9-0 run by the Eagles to start the second half all but buried the Demons en route to a 79-71 Eagles win.

This year, it would be noteworthy if DePaul lasts more than 10 minutes with the Golden Eagles. DePaul has yet to win a road game this year and has been beaten by over 20 points by UCLA and Syracuse away from the Allstate Arena.

DePaul does get to face Marquette at home Feb. 4, but even the home court has been unkind to the Demons this year, as evidenced by a five-point loss to Morgan State and an embarrassing 80-58 loss against USF, the only Big East squad picked in the preseason to be worse than the Demons.

Expect Marquette to make light work of DePaul and get their bench players some extended minutes in the second half.

Marquette 85, DePaul 63

Joey Meyer in a Cubs Uniform says it all about the Curse of the Blue Demons. “ WE AREN’T...DePaul” not anymore and not anytime soon.

Since the Ray Meyer loss to Wake Forrest in the Stall/Four corners upset years ago to Joey Meyer's off the record blackballing; this team can't win any big games. Don't expect  this to change tonight when they battle a very solid deep team in the Orange.

DePaul is 8-7 and 0-2 in the Big East and seem to play much better at home this year.

Tonight, they will be in familiar surrounding with the snow on the ground in Syracuse but not the court as they travel to the Carrier Dome for a very tough road game. This Syracuse team is more than a handful and much better than the team that beat DePaul at the All State Arena last year 60-55 .

DePaul quickly must figure out how to stop Arizine Onuaku who dominated last years game with  22 points and nine rebounds that lead the short-handed orange.

The Orange are 2-1 against the Blue Demons since they joined the Big East in 2005-06.

Tonight the 11th-ranked Orange expect to have both Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf back, although Devendorf may again come off the bench, when the Orange try to open 3-0 in the Big East for the first time since 2005-06.

Devendorf was another Key to the 60-55 win at DePaul last season, as he finished with 27 points on five-of-seven shooting from three-point range and had a career-high five steals.

DePaul has struggled out of the gate to start their conference schedule. It lost to Providence 62-54 on Saturday after dropping its Big East opener 92-82 to then-No. 7 Notre Dame. Poor shooting hurt the Blue Demons against the Friars, shooting 35.1 percent from the floor and 3-for-19 from beyond the three-point arc.

Dar Tucker, the conference's third-leading scorer (19.6 points per game), finished with 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting. Last year, as a freshman, Tucker had four points on 2-for-10 shooting in DePaul's loss to the Orange. 

The Blue Demons have just one win in their last nine conference road games. They have dropped five straight road games against Top 25 opponents since an 84-81 win at then-No. 16 Wake Forest in 2005. 

Tonight, the road losses will continue for the Demons as the Orange continue to roll in this Men-against-Boys matchup.

College basketball is all about atmosphere. The unique cheers and fight songs from the pep band and student section make almost any college game exciting to watch. Add some face paint and a little bit of taunting, and these places become intimidating places for opposing teams to play.

Duke has the ‘Cameron Crazies’ who jump in place and cheer for an entire game. The Florida Gators have their 'Gator Chomp.' For Syracuse and their 30,000-plus fans at the Carrier Dome, well, they have strength in numbers.

Recently, when UConn played Depaul before 14,858 at the XL Center (formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center) on Tuesday, Feb. 19, the crowd was out of the game. The players could have been replaced by a men’s league team playing in front of empty seats at a local gym. It was so bad for the first 30 minutes that you could hear the sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floor.

The main reason for the un-enthused crowd is that the UConn campus is actually located a 40-minute drive away in Storrs, Conn. Therefore, on a Tuesday night, when classes are in session, many UConn students did not attend the game. It showed. Roughly, one-third of the student section was missing. There was no energy in the crowd, and the UConn players responded by playing unenergetic basketball for 30 minutes.

Off-campus venues, like the XL Center, typically have larger seating capacities, but the type of fan attending the game is much different. UConn plays 17 home games this year and nine out of those 17 are at the XL Center. The XL Center holds 16,294 fans, while Gampel Pavilion’s capacity is 10,167. It makes total financial and logistical sense to have a majority of the games at the XL Center, because not only does it have more seats, it is also easier to get to for families.

Gampel Pavilion, on the other hand, is located 20 minutes off the highway, essentially in the middle of nowhere. It may have 6,127 fewer seats, but the crowd, fueled by the energy of a large student section, is much more involved in the game. Basketball-wise it makes total sense to have all the games at Gampel because of the decisive advantage the fans give the team. Ask any fan where they would rather watch a game, and I am sure most will say, ‘Gampel.’ There is no bad seat in Gampel. Sit the furthest away from the court in any section and you still have a good seat. Your nose will not be bleeding, but your ears may be ringing from the cheers of the crowd.

After UConn played Notre Dame at the Gampel Pavilion, Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey and his players commented on how difficult it was to play at an on-campus facility, like Gampel. Brey knows how difficult it is because his team has rattled off 36 straight wins at their own on-campus venue, the Joyce Center, located in South Bend, Ind. The problem was it was the first time since 1996 that the Irish had played there.

Every college program has its own unique fan base. The UConn student section has one fan clad in just his skivvies with half his body painted white and the other half painted blue. Then, there is the student that wears a toilet bowl. Yes, he wears a toilet bowl. I'm not sure what the toilet bowl represents or why it is worn, but I will say it is different.

Even the ‘everyfan’ gets into the game as well. In the crowd at all UConn games is a middle-aged heavy-set man. He gets the crowd going by spelling out “U-C-O-N-N” with his arms. The crowd responds in unison by announcing each letter then chanting “UCONN, UCONN.”

Players respond to the enthusiasm of the crowd, and it makes them play with more energy and intensity. Intensity leads to them getting more steals, better defense and, more importantly, victories. Crowds not only respond to a thunderous dunk, but also to the player who dives on the floor for the loose ball. Plays like these can change the momentum of the crowd and the game.

What college do you think has the best student section? What is unique about its fans?