DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The DePaul Blue Demons Men's Basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of DePaul University
in Chicago
, Illinois
. The team competes in the Big East Conference
and plays their home games in the Allstate Arena
in Rosemont, Illinois
.
in the 1940s and legendary coaches such as Ray Meyer
in the 1970s and 80s. Success continued with multiple NCAA appearances under Ray Meyer's son, Joey Meyer
, throughout the 1980s. DePaul joined the Great Midwest Conference
in 1991 which later merged with the Metro Conference
in 1995 to become Conference USA
, in which DePaul was a member through 2005. DePaul left for the Big East Conference
for the 2005-2006 season where it currently resides as a member.
The current men's basketball coach is Oliver Purnell
. The previous coach was Jerry Wainwright
, who joined DePaul in 2005. Wainwright's first season with his young team was erratic, beating No. 16 Wake Forest
84-81 before falling to Old Dominion by a score of 87–43 (the worst defeat in the team's history), and then beating future Big East Champion, Syracuse
, 108–69 on March 2, 2006. In the 2006–2007 season, the Blue Demons beat powerhouse #5 Kansas, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in school history. They also beat 2007 NCAA tournament teams California
, Northwestern State
, Marquette
, Connecticut
, and Villanova
. The team made it to the NIT and lost in the bracket final to Air Force.
The Demons opened up the 2008 season with two of their star players gone to the NBA. Four games into the 2007-2008 season, Wainwright logged his 200th career win as a head coach. The 2007–08 season saw the Demons with a 10–19 record, but there were high points in the year. DePaul had upsets over Villanova, then ranked #15 nationally and ultimately a member of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and Northwestern
. However, things took a turn for the worse during the 2008-2009 season. DePaul went 0-18 in Big East play, setting a school-record for longest losing streak. The Demons were able to redeem themselves somewhat knocking off Big East 9th seeded team Cincinnati
in the first round of the Big East tournament and putting up a fight in a close loss to 8 seed Providence
.
In the 2009 season, the Blue Demons suffered arguably their worst loss in school history, a 64-61 upset by Florida Gulf Coast University
Eagles, a recent Division I entrant.
NCAA appearances (18): 43, 53, 56, 59, 60, 65, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 91, 92, 00, 04
NIT appearances (16): 40 (FF), 44 (2nd), 45 (champion), 48, 61, 63, 64, 66, 83 (2nd), 90, 94, 95, 99, 03, 05, 07
:
National Player of the Year:
National Coach of the Year:
:
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The team competes in the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
and plays their home games in the Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and...
in Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
.
History
DePaul was independent for much of its basketball history and has enjoyed success with such great players as George MikanGeorge Mikan
George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
in the 1940s and legendary coaches such as Ray Meyer
Ray Meyer
Raymond Joseph Meyer was an American men's collegiate basketball coach from Chicago, Illinois. He was well-known for coaching at DePaul University from 1942 to 1984, compiling a 724–354 record...
in the 1970s and 80s. Success continued with multiple NCAA appearances under Ray Meyer's son, Joey Meyer
Joey Meyer (basketball coach)
Joey Meyer is an American professional basketball coach and former men's college basketball coach. He is currently the head coach of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Indiana Pacers' affiliate in the NBA Development League. He is currently the circuit's all-time victories leader...
, throughout the 1980s. DePaul joined the Great Midwest Conference
Great Midwest Conference
The Great Midwest Conference was an NCAA Division I athletics conference which existed from 1991 to 1995.It was formed in 1990 with six members--Cincinnati and Memphis State from the Metro Conference; UAB from the Sun Belt Conference; Marquette and Saint Louis from the Midwestern Collegiate...
in 1991 which later merged with the Metro Conference
Metro Conference
The Metropolitan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, popularly known as the Metro Conference, was an NCAA Division I athletics conference, so named because all of its charter members were in urban metropolitan areas in, or at least on the fringes of, the Southern United States...
in 1995 to become Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
, in which DePaul was a member through 2005. DePaul left for the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
for the 2005-2006 season where it currently resides as a member.
The current men's basketball coach is Oliver Purnell
Oliver Purnell
Oliver Purnell is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the head coach at DePaul University. Purnell previously served as the head coach for Clemson University, the University of Dayton, Old Dominion University, and Radford University.-Early years:Purnell was born in Berlin,...
. The previous coach was Jerry Wainwright
Jerry Wainwright
Jerry Wainwright is an American basketball coach who is currently an assistant coach at Fresno State University, he was most recently the head coach of the DePaul University Blue Demons. Following his mid-season firing in 2010, Wainwright left college basketball to promote charity causes in North...
, who joined DePaul in 2005. Wainwright's first season with his young team was erratic, beating No. 16 Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have...
84-81 before falling to Old Dominion by a score of 87–43 (the worst defeat in the team's history), and then beating future Big East Champion, Syracuse
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
, 108–69 on March 2, 2006. In the 2006–2007 season, the Blue Demons beat powerhouse #5 Kansas, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in school history. They also beat 2007 NCAA tournament teams California
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, Northwestern State
Northwestern State Demons
The Northwestern State University athletic teams go by the Demons, with women's athletic teams generally called the Lady Demons, and its mascot is Vic the Demon. Once a member of the celebrated SIAA conference, the school now competes in the Southland Conference....
, Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
, and Villanova
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
. The team made it to the NIT and lost in the bracket final to Air Force.
The Demons opened up the 2008 season with two of their star players gone to the NBA. Four games into the 2007-2008 season, Wainwright logged his 200th career win as a head coach. The 2007–08 season saw the Demons with a 10–19 record, but there were high points in the year. DePaul had upsets over Villanova, then ranked #15 nationally and ultimately a member of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball
The Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team representing Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference. Men's basketball was first introduced at Northwestern in 1901...
. However, things took a turn for the worse during the 2008-2009 season. DePaul went 0-18 in Big East play, setting a school-record for longest losing streak. The Demons were able to redeem themselves somewhat knocking off Big East 9th seeded team Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
in the first round of the Big East tournament and putting up a fight in a close loss to 8 seed Providence
Providence Friars men's basketball
The Providence Friars men's basketball team represents Providence College in NCAA Division I competition, in which they are a founding member of the Big East Conference. They play their home games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island...
.
In the 2009 season, the Blue Demons suffered arguably their worst loss in school history, a 64-61 upset by Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
Eagles, a recent Division I entrant.
NCAA Tournament
Final Fours (2): 1943, 1979NCAA appearances (18): 43, 53, 56, 59, 60, 65, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 91, 92, 00, 04
- NCAA appearances in 1986, 87, 88, and 89 were vacated due to NCAA rules infractions and are not a part of the official NCAA records.
National Invitation Tournament
NIT Champions: 1945NIT appearances (16): 40 (FF), 44 (2nd), 45 (champion), 48, 61, 63, 64, 66, 83 (2nd), 90, 94, 95, 99, 03, 05, 07
Honors
Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
:
- George Mikan
- Ray Meyer
National Player of the Year:
- George Mikan (1944, 1945)
- Mark AguirreMark AguirreMark Anthony Aguirre is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Aguirre played from 1981–1994 and won two championships with the Detroit Pistons after being sent to Detroit from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Adrian Dantley...
(1980)
National Coach of the Year:
- Ray Meyer (78, 79, 80, 84)
- Joey MeyerJoey Meyer (basketball coach)Joey Meyer is an American professional basketball coach and former men's college basketball coach. He is currently the head coach of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Indiana Pacers' affiliate in the NBA Development League. He is currently the circuit's all-time victories leader...
1987
Professional players
The following former DePaul Blue Demons have played in the NBA or original ABAAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
:
- Mark AguirreMark AguirreMark Anthony Aguirre is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Aguirre played from 1981–1994 and won two championships with the Detroit Pistons after being sent to Detroit from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Adrian Dantley...
- Andre BrownAndre BrownAndre D. Brown is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'9" tall center or power forward.-High school/college career:Brown played at Leo High School and DePaul University, both in Chicago....
- Stanley BrundyStanley BrundyStanley Dwayne Brundy is an active American professional basketball player who was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the 2nd round of the 1989 NBA Draft...
- Em BryantEm BryantEmmette Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'1" guard from DePaul University, Bryant played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Buffalo Braves...
- Howie CarlHowie CarlHoward Hershey "Howie" Carl was an American basketball player.He played collegiately for DePaul University....
- Wilson ChandlerWilson ChandlerWilson Chandler is an American basketball player currently with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. He previously played in the National Basketball Association with the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets...
- Dallas ComegysDallas ComegysDallas Alonzo Comegys is an American former professional basketball player.- Professional career :Comegys was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 21st overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft...
- Tyrone CorbinTyrone CorbinTyrone Kennedy Corbin is the head coach of the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association. He was installed as head coach on February 10, 2011 following the resignation of longtime coach Jerry Sloan....
- Dave CorzineDave CorzineDavid John Corzine is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association.-Biography:...
- Terry CummingsTerry CummingsRobert Terrell "Terry" Cummings is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association for 18 seasons as a power forward and occasional center.-College and NBA years:...
- Gene DykerGene DykerGene Dyker was a forward in the National Basketball Association. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in the 1953 NBA Draft and played with the team that season.-References:...
- Kevin EdwardsKevin EdwardsKevin Durell Edwards is a retired American professional basketball player who currently serves as DePaul University men's basketball team's director of community, corporate, and professional relations. Edwards was selected by the Miami Heat with the 20th overall pick of the 1988 NBA Draft...
- Ron FeiereiselRon FeiereiselRonald E. Feiereisel was an American basketball player and coach.A 6'3" guard, Feiereisel starred at DePaul Academy in Chicago before playing for Ray Meyer at DePaul University from 1950 to 1953...
- Elmer Gainer
- Gary Garland
- Bato GovedaricaBato GovedaricaBato Zdravko Govedarica was an American basketball player. He played 23 games for the Syracuse Nationals during the 1953-54 National Basketball Association season....
- Stephen HowardStephen Howard (basketball)Stephen Christopher Howard is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association. Howard played collegiately at DePaul University. He played four seasons in the NBA, from 1992 through to 1998....
- Steven Hunter
- Johnny JorgensenJohnny JorgensenJohn J. Jorgensen was an American professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard/forward from DePaul University, Jorgensen played two seasons in the Basketball Association of America as a member of the Chicago Stags, Baltimore Bullets, and Minneapolis Lakers...
- Whitey KachanWhitey KachanEdwin John "Whitey" Kachan was an American professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard from DePaul University, Kachan played one season in the Basketball Association of America as a member of the Chicago Stags and Minneapolis Lakers. He averaged 2.2 points per game and won a championship with...
- Paul McPhersonPaul McPhersonPaul L. McPherson is an American professional basketball player.A 6'4" shooting guard from Chicago's South Shore High School, McPherson played at Tallahassee Community College, Kennedy-King College, and DePaul University before being signed by the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association...
- Ed MikanEd MikanEdward Anton Mikan was an American professional basketball player and the younger brother of George Mikan....
- George MikanGeorge MikanGeorge Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
- Errol Palmer
- Jack PhelanJack Phelan (basketball, born 1925)John Edward "Jack" Phelan is a retired American forward in the National Basketball Association. He played with the Waterloo Hawks and Sheboygan Red Skins during the 1949-50 NBA season.-References:...
- Quentin RichardsonQuentin RichardsonQuentin Richardson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic...
- Bill RobinzineBill RobinzineWilliam Clintard "Bill" Robinzine was an American professional basketball player.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Robinzine grew to be a 6' 7" forward from DePaul University. He played seven seasons in the NBA, competing for the Kansas City Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz...
- Bobby SimmonsBobby SimmonsBobby Simmons is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Simmons played three years of college basketball for DePaul University...
- Ron SobieszczykRon SobieszczykRon Sobieszcyzk was an American professional basketball player.Also known as Ron Sobie, Sobieszczyk played for coach Ray Meyer at DePaul University from 1953 to 1956. He scored 1,222 points in his college career and participated with the College All-Stars team that toured with the Harlem...
- Rod StricklandRod StricklandRodney "Rod" Strickland is a retired American professional basketball player and currently in an administrative role for the University of Kentucky basketball team under head coach John Calipari. Strickland was formerly the director of basketball operations at the University of Memphis...
- Gene Stump
- Dick TriptowDick TriptowRichard F. Triptow is a retired American basketball player. At 6'0" and 170 pounds, he played as a guard and a forward.Triptow attended Lane Tech High School and DePaul University, both in Chicago, Illinois...
See also
- Former DePaul Head Coach Ray MeyerRay MeyerRaymond Joseph Meyer was an American men's collegiate basketball coach from Chicago, Illinois. He was well-known for coaching at DePaul University from 1942 to 1984, compiling a 724–354 record...
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesNCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesThis is a list of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Regional Championships by coach. The current names of the NCAA Tournament regions are the East, Southeast, Southwest, and West...
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by schoolNCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by schoolThis is a list of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Final Four appearances by school. Schools whose names are italicized are no longer in Division I and can no longer be included in the tournament. Several teams have vacated Final Four appearances and are marked with an * with...