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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 9-19;
2-14 in C-USA (7th/American)
Postseason: None. Last NCAA appearance was in 2000.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Brown 12.6
Rebs: Brown 8.7
Assists: Brown 4.0
FG: Brown 55.4%
3pt: Hoskin 37.4%
FT: Hoskin 76.2%
01-02 Stats:
DePaul | C-USA
KEY LOSSES
Lance Williams | 11.2 ppg
Imari Sawyer | 8.9 ppg
Rashon Burno | 4.2 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | Marlon London | Senior
G | Drake Diener | Soph
C | Andre Brown | Junior
F | Sam Hoskin | Senior
F | Quemont Greer | Soph
Player to Watch
Andre Brown
Junior Center
Did it all, and well, last year for Blue Demons. Will play even bigger role for Leitao.
DATE TO REMEMBER
The Fighting Irish punked the Blue Demons by 27 in Chicago last year, the first signal that the end was near for Kennedy. This once-great Catholic rivalry could be reinvigorated by a spirited Blue Demons showing in South Bend.
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DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS
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DePaul got rid of its suspect coach, and can only hope the players' suspect motivation level left with Pat Kennedy. Dave Leitao arrives after six years of helping Jim Calhoun win big at Connecticut, bringing hope that the Blue Demons can eradicate a culture of underachievement. After upsetting Missouri to reach 7-4 last year, the bottom dropped out. DePaul won just two league games (both against East Carolina) and lost 10 of its last 11, all but quitting on Kennedy. (Only three of those 10 losses were by less than 14 points.) The fan base, which abandoned the program over the past couple of seasons, must be recruited back to Allstate Arena. Since recruiting was never the issue with Kennedy, Leitao at least inherits some players. Andre Brown is a preseason all-league pick, after averaging 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds last year. Quemont Greer and Sam Hoskin join him to form an imposing frontcourt, though both must upgrade their shot selection and accuracy. The same could be said for Marlon London, the shooting guard -- and we use that term loosely -- who was shot 11 percent from three-point range last season. Point guard is another of the Diener boys, Drake, who started half of the Blue Demons' league games and played well for a freshman. If the holdovers aren't getting it done, Leitao does have three newcomers -- two JUCO players -- that he won't hesitate to work into the mix.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
Talent exists, and Leitao should bring a winner's mentality to the mix. If Diener progresses -- and there is every reason to believe he will -- he'll have some skilled players to pass to. Brown is a go-to player who can carry the team through a manageable early schedule.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
It's hard to fumigate a program overnight, especially when you're dealing with largely the same cast of players that lost 19 games and essentially tanked the final two months of the season. This was a very bad perimeter shooting team a year ago (31 percent from 3-point range).
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Leitao's Chicago dilemma -- great backyard talent, but will they accept coaching? -- can wait. Job One is on the court, where DePaul has to at least show the effort and coachability that was lacking in recent years. If that is achieved, DePaul's rebound could be quick. Progress will be shown this year.
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