The DePaulia — 2019-2020 Basketball Preview

The DePaulia 2019-2020 BASKETBALL PREVIEW

They got next INSIDE

Roster, schedule breakdown

Page 2

Markese Jacobs and Romeo Weems are ready to put the Blue Demons back on the map

Weems ready for liftoff Page 3

Darious Hall gets his chance Page 3

2 | Basketball Preview. The DePaulia. Oct. 28, 2019

MEN’S Full Court Coverage

Dave Leitao

Eighth season at DePaul 1 NCAA Tournament Appearence

ROSTER PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS

Paul Reed: Jr 6’9”, F GP/GS: 31/31 11.7 PPG, 4.7APG, 3.7 RPG

Jaylen Butz: Jr, 6’9”, F GP/GS : 31/31 16.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.7 APG

Jalen Coleman-Lands Jr, 6’4”, F GP/GS: 8/8 5.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.8 APG Romeo Weems: Fr, 6’7”, F Transfer from Illinois 8.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.0 APG

Charlie Moore: Sr, 5’11”, G Transfer from Kansas 16.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.2 APG

ANNALISA BARANOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA

DePaul Men’s ‘19-20 Schedule Records from the 2018-2019 season

Lyrik Shreiner JR-G, #10

Brendan Favre SO-G, #20

Devin Gage JR-G, #3

Seton Hall Pirates

20-14 (9-9)

Villanova Wildcats

26-10 (13-5)

Xavier Musketeers

19-16 (9-9)

Marquette Golden Eagles 24-10 (12-6) Jason Malonga Darious Hall JR-G #12 JR-F #13

Flynn Cameron SO-G, #21

Providence Friars Georgetown Hoyas

Markese Jacobs

FR-G, #0

Mick Sullivan SO-F #23

Creighton Bluejays

Sullivan Menard FR-G #30

19-14 (9-9)

20-15 (9-9)

Oscar Lopez FR-G #15

Butler Bulldogs

Pantelis Xidias JR-G, #35

18-16 (7-11)

Nick Ongenda FR-C, #14

16-17 (7-11)

St. John’s Red Storm

21-13 (8-10)

DePaul Blue Demons

19-17 (7-11)

Conference records in parentheses. Teams listed in order of preseason coaches’ poll.

Nov. 5: Alcorn State 8 p.m.

Nov. 6: Chicago 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 8: Fairleigh Dickinson 7 p.m.

Nov. 11: at Iowa 7 p.m.

Nov. 16: Cornell Noon Nov. 23: at Boston College TBA Nov. 26: Central Michigan 7 p.m.

Nov. 29: at Minnesota 2 p.m.

Dec. 4: Texas Tech 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 14: UIC 1 p.m.

Dec. 18: at Cleveland State TBA Dec. 21: Northwestern 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 30: Seton Hall 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4: Providence TBA Jan. 11: at St. John’s 11 a.m.

Jan. 14: at Villanova 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 18: Butler Noon Jan. 25: Creighton 8 p.m.

Jan. 25: St. John’s 1 p.m.

Jan. 29: at Seton Hall 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 1: at Marquette 1 p.m..

Feb. 4: Xavier 8 p.m.

Feb. 8: at Georgetown 11 p.m.

Feb. 15: at Creighton 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 19: Villanova 8 p.m.

Feb. 22: Georgetown 8 p.m.

Feb. 25: Xavier 6 p.m.

Feb. 29: Butler 5:30 p.m.

March 3: Marquette TBA March 7: at Providence 5:30 p.m.

Basketball Preview. The DePaulia. Oct. 28, 2019 | 3

Romeo Weems ready to make instant impact

By Lawrence Kreymer Sports Editor

For Romeo Weems picking DePaul over schools like Michigan State and Ohio State came down to a simple decision: he wants to be coached.

During his recruitment process, Weems was being looked at by some of the country’s most elite college basketball programs, teams like Michigan, Oregon, Ohio State and Michigan State were heavily going after the New Haven, Michigan native. But, while those schools have more name recognition and have had more success than DePaul in the last decade, one thing stood out to Weems in terms of what DePaul was telling him compared to what the other schools were telling him: he can still get better.

“I just feel more at home [at DePaul],” Weems said. “During the recruitment process, a lot of coaches was telling me everything I did well instead of what I need to do to get better.

I feel like DePaul was one of XAVIER ORTEGA | THE DEPAULIA the only coaches, it was a cou- DePaul frehsman forward Romeo Weems backs down in the post in the Blue Demons’ open scrimmage. ple more, but it was one of the stantly improved his game from ends of the floor. Like all freshonly coaches that told me what make it to the NBA. “I feel like me and my teamhis sophomore season to his men, he’s got really good days I could do to get better, winning mates all got great energy, great senior year, where he averaged and he’s got days where he has games, become a better player, athleticism, we all got the chance 27.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 to figure some things out that’s stuff like that. [They] also told to do something special,” Weems steals, 3.5 assists and 2.6 blocks very typical. But he’s maintained me stuff that I did well, but as said.

“We got a whole new team, per game at New Haven and was a really good attitude and wants a kid I know everyone wants to it’s like eight new players.

So, I named Michigan’s Mr. Basket- to learn which is the best part hear that, but me I want to be just wanted to come here, flip ball. In his early days at DePaul, from a coaching standpoint is better everyday. So, I wanted to the program around with them, the thing that has stood out to a guy that really, really wants to hear the stuff I needed to better show other kids that you don’t head coach Dave Leitao was his learn and get better. Put all of and I just felt more at home than have to go to the Dukes, Kenenergy and willingness to learn. those things together and we are other schools. tucky, Michigan States like that “He’s a lot, very positive really excited not just for now For Weems, who was a fourto go to the NBA. There’s a lot energy, he’s worked extremely but for the future.” star recruit and plays small forof great players in the league hard, he’s mature beyond his Weems isn’t the only DePaul ward, his mindset is to improve that went to low-majors, Steph years, he’s surprisingly good player who’s being talked about his game on a daily basis, he Curry, Kawhi Lenoard, you can defensively for a guy who’s only by the national media going into knows that you don’t have to go be a great player youcast gotta been practicing a few weeks,” this season, players like fellow to an “elite” college basketball put the work in no matter where Leitao said.

“He’s accepted freshman Markese Jacobs and school in order to have a sucyou go.” things very quick, he’s able to do junior Paul Reed are being discessful college career or even In high school, Weems con- what you ask him to do on both cussed as serious playmakers for

the Blue Demons this season. “It means a lot because we need all the pieces we can get and [Romeo] is a big piece of the puzzle right now with his length and athleticism,” Reed said. “So, it just means a lot [to have him at the program].

Weems has no questions about this team because he believes not only will DePaul make the NCAA Tournament but when they do, they will make a deep run in the tournament.

“Honestly, yes, I feel like we got a chance, a great chance, everyone puts in the work and honestly I feel like we can go to the tournament,” Weems said.

“And when we get to the tournament, the way everybody on my team is, the way we lock in in a tough situation. I feel like where everybody is from we all come out from the mud, so I feel like when we get there we are going to make noise.”

Weems’ passion for basketball began when he was in eighth grade, but he has been involved in sports his whole life. He began playing football at a young age, but when he was around 1314 years old he started to get recruited and got calls from Team USA. While his goal is to play in the NBA one day and be a successful player, Weems’ dreams and hopes is that his baksetball talents end up providing for his mom and dad.

“I grew up playing football and then I started playing basketball, around eighth grade I started getting recurited, ninth grade I started getting USA looks,” Weems said. “I just feel that this is a good way to feed my family, take care of my mom everything she did for us, my pops everything he did for us.

Give back to my city, just live my life.”

Darious Hall poised to make major difference on defense

By Luke Meyers Copy Editor

After redshirting a year due to NCAA transfer guidelines, Darious Hall is finally ready to suit up for the DePaul Blue Demons.

In his freshman season at the University of Arkansas, he played in all 35 games and averaged 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game. He also shot 50 percent from the field and a blistering 40.6 percent from beyond the three-point arc. In April of 2018, he committed to transfer to DePaul.

For the Little Rock, Ark. native, the redshirt year provided a valuable opportunity to learn more about himself as a player and a person. “I had to mature more, especially staying in Chicago, a big city,” Hall said. “It’s not the same as back home. The first thing I had to adjust to was the weather, I wasn’t used to it.” He also said that the time away from the court allowed him to improve his grades and his relationship with the DePaul coaching staff.

Head Coach Dave Leitao liked what he saw from Hall during his redshirt year. “He was a bright light

every day in terms of bringing his energy, and using his athleticism and his energy to make a difference,” Leitao said. “Especially when you’re on a second team and you’re sitting out for a whole year, and you know you’re not playing games… but he never let that affect him.”

Hall has lofty goals for both himself and the team this season.

“I do have the confidence that we can win the Big East this year,” he said. “The reason why is that we have a talented team, a talented group of guys where everybody is locked in and collected as one.

When you’re like that, can’t nobody break that bond.”

Hall has his eyes set on the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. His teammate, junior forward Paul Reed, praised Hall’s defense. “He’s a defensive guy,” Reed said. “He brings that energy to the court, to the locker room, everywhere. And he’s a leader, he’s always got his cool. He can really do everything. It’s good to have a guy like that around.”

Hall, a 6 foot 7 inch, 215 pound forward, is a valuable addition to DePaul’s frontcourt. He

XAVIER ORTEGA | THE DEPAULIA

DePaul sophomore forward Darious Hall comes down with a rebound in the Blue Demons’ open scrimmage on Saturday. showed flashes of his potential in some standout games at Arkansas, including an 11-point, seven-rebound performance against Tennessee in the SEC tournament and 14-point, 11-rebound double-double on the road against Mississippi.

“He gives us length and athleticism,” Leitao said. “Particularly on the defensive end, the guy can cover a lot more ground than what we’re used to.” He also praised Hall’s abil-

ity to get to the free-throw line, saying that he leads the team in drawing fouls.

Leitao also echoed Reed’s thoughts on Hall’s impact on the locker room. “He has a personality that’s really good for our team, good for our locker room,” he said.

Leitao was effusive in describing the value of players like Hall who bring energy on and off the court.

“He is always looking forward

to the next day, and he plays that way both emotionally and physically,” Leitao said.

With DePaul’s first game of the season drawing near, the opportunity to get out and play again is extremely meaningful for Hall.

“It’s just mind-blowing,” he said. “I haven’t played in so long, I got people back home that want to see me play, people here that want to see me play… I would say it’s a weight off my shoulders, but at the same time it’s not because it’s something I love to do and it’s something I’m ready to do.”

Hall is itching to get back on the court and show Blue Demons fans what he can do. “I bring everything,” he said. “Energy, defense, communication, leadership… and just bring wins back to Wintrust and DePaul.”

Hall also suggested that DePaul could surprise some people in the Big East this year. “[The rest of the Big East] don’t really know what we’re cooking up right now,” he said. “But when it comes out, they’re going to be scared.”

4 | Basketball Preview. The DePaulia. Oct. 28, 2019

Oral history: 2019 Big Eas

By Nate Burleyson Asst. Sports Editor

The Women’s basketball team has competed for the Big East championship for the past six years since conference realignment. In the past three seasons, they have gone to the tournament championship three times, winning two of them. On March 12, 2019, DePaul faced Marquette University in the finals at Wintrust Arena. The game came down to a final shot by then-junior forward Chante Stonewall.

This is an oral history of the game and the shot that brought the Blue Demons to their 17th consecutive NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Demons were facing the Marquette Golden Eagles, a team they had faced twice that season, losing in Milwaukee 63-96 in January and losing in Chicago in early February 87-93. Yet even with the two losses, there was a feeling of content going into the title game. In the 2018 Big East title game, DePaul routed Marquette 98-63.

Doug Bruno (Head Coach of DePaul Women’s Basketball): I am always in a place of relaxed-intensity. I hate the word relaxed because I’m not relaxed but I’m never afraid. I can’t coach afraid, I don’t care who I’m playing, you can’t coach scared. I wasn’t walking around ever in some place of fear of Marquette, you know, ever. I never was walking around like ‘they beat us, they passed us up’, the numbers don’t lie.

Abbas Dahodwala (Radio DePaul Sports Announcer): Going into the game, we knew it was going to be a dogfight.

Chante Stonewall (Senior Forward): Of course, we had played Marquette a lot of times. We had lost at their gym so we understood that it would be a tiebreaker between them and us. So it was just one of those things where we wanted to defend our homecourt, do what we do best.

Kelly Campbell (Senior Guard): Going into that game we were definitely super focused and knew that they weren’t going to let happen what we did to them the year before.

Lexi Held (Sophomore Guard): We knew what we were up again cause we played against them twice. We just had a chip on our shoulder so we were really energized and excited to get into that game.

The game was exactly as advertised. The Blue Demons and Golden Eagles battled all throughout the game, with Marquette star Natisha Hiedeman doing what she had done all year. DePaul was facing shooting woes but only trailed by five points at halftime. The atmosphere in Wintrust Arena was electric, and the teams were feeding off of that energy.

Dahodwala: Nobody was showing up beside for Stonewall. Midway through the first or second quarter, Marquette had like forty kids walking outside of the tunnel just making noise. It was really loud.

Alexa Sandler (DePaulia Contributing Photographer): The vibe was that everyone was pretty excited. It kinda shifted during the game, when lead changes were happening. It got really nitty-gritty, there was a lot of suspense and you could feel it in the arena.

Bruno:I really just focused on our specific matchups, focused on what we were trying to do with the gameplan, focus on how we weren’t going to tie the game or take the lead in the game in one trip. You don’t do that in one trip you need the patience of staying strong.

Held: We were just trying to take it possession by possession, not get too ahead of ourselves and control what we can control.

Blue Demons fans and players hoped that the second half would go better and that this game wouldn’t end up like the other two times they faced Marquette. But in the third quarter, Things started to go wrong for the Blue Demons as they found themselves down by 13 points during the third quarter.

Held: Marquette was a good team, they could make runs, that’s what made them so good. They can get up on you so quick just bc they can shoot the ball and get up on you so quick.

Stonewall: Bruno always preaches to us that when we are down that we got to win one possession at a time. And so make a stop, score, make a stop, score. So that was our mindset.

Sandler: I was like ‘you gotta be kidding’ I was sitting there thinking ‘here we go’. It was a too good to be true sort of thing. I felt a little hopeless but I didn’t lose hope.

Bruno: There wasn’t a whole lot we didn’t know about them that we couldn’t adjust too.

But you are constantly in the state of switching a matchup here and there.

The Blue Demons were able to adjust. Shots started falling and they began to crawl their way back into the game. By the fourth quarter, they were trading blows with the Golden Eagles and were within striking distance.

Bruno: The players not quitting and not giving up when you’re down 13 points with 6 minutes to go, that’s vivid. You are back to coaching fearlessly, and you win the possession, win the next possession, when you string winning possessions, the next thing you know we are chasing a point.

Stonewall: I’m not saying it’s a good thing but we were down a lot of times during the season so we knew how to overcome that adversity.

Sandler: Me and the other photographer for the athletics department were trying to keep that level of professionalism and trying to shoot the game. But as DePaul students,

we were both really invested in the game.

Held: It was a really intense game. The fans here were crazy because we were at home.

It was a really fun environment to play in, especially it being that close late in the game.

Then came the final play, the Blue Demons had mounted their comeback and found themselves down by two points with 10.4 seconds left on the clock.

Lexi Held inbounded the ball to Campbell at midcourt. Fans held their breath as Campbell found Stonewall who came up from the paint, Campbell drove in and was fouled on her shot attempt that went in with 5.4 seconds remaining.

Held: We had Ashton (Millender) in the corner because she was hitting her threes that game. We just spaced the floor and had Chante do her thing and it worked out.

Dahodwala: That shot was electric, I mean that shot was so good.

Stonewall: It was super important to me that I made the shot cause it could have been a no-call.

Bruno: We ran something we had practiced. That was fortunate. Just because we practiced it doesn’t mean we will execute it. Chante executed it well which was awesome.

The game wasn’t sealed at that point though. With the game tied, it was up to Stonewall to hit the free throw.

Bruno: I refuse to shout to my players while they are on the free-throw line. So I just keep my mouth shut, knowing she has to match up with Hiedeman, and hoping that we had educated well enough during the season that she would match up.

Stonewall hit the free throw, and with no timeouts remaining, Marquette

inbounded the ball to Hie wall.

Sandler: Ok, we are up by one, in sports games.

Bruno: Chante had to guard H buzzer beaters, and that wa Dahodwala: I was very nervous whe Stonewall leading them.

Hiedeman put up a m rebound, the buzzer soun nament champions.

Campbell: Everyone storming the down 13 and came back to Stonewall: You dream of it, but wh Bruno: It’s a review that they w really special and great exp Sandler That moment was so sp DePaul celebrated the players celebrating and cu third straight Big East titl

Basketball Preview. The DePaulia. Oct. 28, 2019 | 5

ast championship game

Photos by: Alexa Sandler

edeman, who took it down the court, guarded by Stonethere is still time for them to get it. Crazy things happen

Hiedeman immediately, and Hiedeman had made a lot of as really special to have her guard that.

en Hiedeman was driving with that, but once again, it was

Middle: Lexi Held and Chante Stonewall celebrate after Stonewall hit a game-winning shot in the 2019 Big East championship game on March 12 at

measly effort on a shot that missed. DePaul grabbed the nded and the Blue Demons were the 2019 Big East tour-

Wintrust Arena.

e court after, the game it was so surreal that like we were o win. A win like that, you remember forever.

defeating Marquette 74-73 in the Big East championship.

hen it actually happens it’s like wow, this is amazing.

will have for life and it’s never going anywhere. That is a perience for a coach.

pecial for the fans too and anyone working with athletics. heir last-second win with fans storming the court and utting down the nets. The team is looking to win their le this season.

Top right: The DePaul women’s basketball team takes a picture together after

Bottom right: DePaul women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno looks on in the second half during the Big East title game against Marquette.

Bottom right: DePaul senior guard Chante Stonewall gets awarded the Most Valuable Player of the Big East Tournament after defeating Marquette.

Bottom left: Former DePaul forward Mart’e Grays celebrates after winning the Big East championship game.

6 | Basketball Preview. The DePaulia. Oct. 28, 2019

Senior tandem finally steps into lead role Nate Burleyson Asst. Sports Editor

Kelly Campbell and Chante Stonewall knew that they would have this chance.

Both four-year players on the DePaul women’s basketball team, the dynamic duo know each other in and out while on the court. The pair have started and played heavy minutes over the past few years.

They are the highly-touted players on DePaul who always appear on the opposing team’s scouting report. Now, they have full reign as seniors.

Campbell and Stonewall have earned their share of accolades in their careers, but they are carrying special recognitions into this year.

Campbell, a guard, was named to the Lieberman Award watch list as one of the top point guards in the nation. Stonewall, a forward, was named to the Cheryl Miller Award watch list as one of the top small forwards in the nation.

Yet these are previews, and as head coach Doug Bruno said on Saturday at an open practice, “we play for reviews.”

Reviews like how Stonewall and Campbell can know that they have been a part of two straight Big East conference tournament championships as well as three trips to the NCAA tournament. Yet Bruno’s philosophy rings true in their heads, which is one of the reasons they have excelled in this program.

“Both Chante and Kelly are special seniors,” Bruno said. “They’ve

JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA

DePaul senior Kelly Campbell passes the ball to her fellow senior teammate Chante Stonewall. both worked very, very hard to put themselves in the position to have great senior years.”

Their belief in the “one game at a time” philosophy, their positive mindset and ultimate success has carved out their spot in DePaul athletics history. Their senior year isn’t the cherry on top, but simply a continuation of their excellent careers.

“It’s an honor,” Stonewall said.

“We have been waiting on this mo-

ment to officially be named captain.”

Stonewall and Campbell are the only seniors on the team. They are looking to improve upon their marks from last season. Stonewall was the second-leading scorer on the team last season with 14.3 points per game, also adding 6.6 rebounds per game.In Big East play, she shot 39 percent on threepointers and 47 percent from the

field overall.

Stonewall is the main forward on a team full of guards, and her size and unique vision make her an integral part of DePaul’s offense.

Campbell was the key facilitator on the team. She had 75 more assists than anyone else on the team as well as being top five in assist to turnover ratio in the country.

On top of leading the team in assists, she averaged a team-high 7.7

rebounds a game. “You’re always attracted to an athlete’s skillset,” Bruno said. “They both had good basketball skillsets and they both had different kinds of athleticism.

Kelly’s is more visual and Chante’s is more run and jump. But Chante also has great visual athleticism.”

Two now-graduated players, Mart’e Grays and Ashton Millender, averaged double-digit points alongside Stonewall. Campbell’s role as a scorer can definitely grow this season, along with other players like sophomore guard Lexi Held. Stonewall and Campbell know that this season is a doubleedged sword. Soon enough, neither of them will be donning a DePaul jersey. “[It’s] definitely a game-bygame basis, being more aggressive for sure will need to happen,” Campbell said. “I think just doing what I do best, doing the little things and making sure everything runs all smoothly.”

The two are preparing to turn the corner and take their last lap as Blue Demons with high hopes.

With a tight and competitive Big East, repeating as champions won’t be easy. There are a lot of teams knocking at the door, but for now, DePaul, with Campbell and Stonewall leading the charge, are at the top.

“I think we are ready for the challenge of the season, any type of adversity we face, we will be able to overcome it based on our experience and we are ready to get things rolling,” Stonewall said.

Transfer Deja Church finds perfect fit in Lincoln Park Nate Burleyson Asst. Sports Editor

Deja Church knew she had a place to go.

Once her stint as a player at the University of Michigan began to wind down, DePaul was the next step in her collegiate career.

The 5-10 guard from Southfield, Michigan was heavily recruited by the Blue Demons and head coach Doug Bruno before she elected to play her freshman and sophomore years in the Big Ten. Church, a finalist for Michigan Miss Basketball in high school, played in every game as a Wolverine, starting all of her sophomore year. She averaged 8.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists through her two years. She was on her way to being a successful player at Michigan, but she was seeking something different in a program.

“Michigan just wasn’t a good fit for me, on the court and off the court,” Church said.

Church entered the transfer portal after the NCAA tournament in March, where she started on a Michigan team that made it to the second round of play. She was anything but unfamiliar with what the Blue Demons were doing over in Chicago. Church had an in, after having visited with DePaul coaching staff as well as the players.

“Out of high school, they were recruiting me and I knew I

had good relationships with the coaches and stuff,” Church said.

So mainly when I was transferring I was looking for a school that I could come into right away and impact the team. DePaul, they’re known for quick guards, shooting threes and playing 94 feet. I thought that was more my type of style from what I was used to.”

This style change was welcome for Church, as she felt a bit limited in the system at Michigan, DePaul plays a more free game with more three-point shots and speed. And the experience that she gained at Michigan made her a perfect candidate for coming to DePaul.

“I’m really excited about her growth,” Bruno said.

Church only started four games in her freshman year before stepping into a fuller role as a sophomore. Her numbers steadily grew and she scored a career-high 19 points in two different games.

“Those aren’t shabby freshman/ sophomore numbers,” Bruno said.

When she realized she could get into a role at DePaul this summer, it made things a lot easier.

When a player transfers between colleges, oftentimes they have to wait a year in order to be eligible to play at their new school.

Church’s waiver was granted by the NCAA and she will be able to play a key role on the court with DePaul this season.

The impression she has already made on her teammates is

JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA

DePaul junior Deja Church dribbles the ball up the court in an open scrimmage on Saturday at Wintrust. huge. “We are very excited to have Deja, she is very competitive and very talented so it’s really great that we have her,” senior guard Kelly Campbell said.

Getting transfers into the system is a lot different for a program compared to integrating freshmen. The change in the environment is something that takes time to get through, and transfers go through that early.

“That’s what a junior college or four-year transfer has already experienced,” Bruno said.

“They’ve already been exposed to and taught the drill of ‘this is how you go to school when its in college,’ ‘this is how you write a paper when it’s in college,’ ‘this is the speed of the game when you’re in college,’ ‘this is how college coaches act’. They have a handle on the drill, freshmen don’t have that.”

After a player commits to another school, coaches and representatives from other schools can’t make any contact. So when a transfer like Church calls, it’s representative of a special con-

nection.

“Transfering wasn’t easy but it was easier than I thought it was,” Church said. “The team and the coaches, they welcomed me with open arms. Obviously it was tough because I am playing right away and I got a waiver to play that I have to learn the style of play, what the girls expected, and what the coaches expected. They made it what it was, the welcoming was the best.”

Basketball Preview. The DePaulia Oct 28, 2019 | 7

Women’s Full Court Coverage ROSTER PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS

Kelly Campbell: Jr, 5’10”, G GP/GS: 33/33 7.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 5.1 APG

Deja Church: Jr, 5’10”, G GP/GS: 34/34 8.6 PPG, 2.4 APG, 3.9 RPG

Maya Stovall: So, 5’7”, G GP/GS: 29/14 2.4 PPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 RPG

Lexi Held: So 5’10”, G GP/GS: 32/0 8.3PPG, 1.6APG, 1.3 RPG

Chante Stonewall: Sr, 6’1”, G GP/GS: 34/33 14.3 PPG, 1.5APG, 6.6 RPG

ANDREW HATTERSLEY | DEPAULIA DESIGN BY ANNALISA BARANOWSKI| DEPAULIA

Records from the 2018-2019 season

DePaul Blue Demons Hannah Purcell FR-F, #14

Kiara Dallmann JR-G, #42

Keke Rimmer FR-G #1

St John’s Red Storm

16-16 (7-11)

Seton Hall Pirates

15-15 (7-11)

Creighton Bluejays

Providence Friars Sonya Morris FR-G, #11

Kayla Caudle FR-F, #24

Dege Jean FR-F, #32

15-16 (8-10)

17-15 (8-10)

Jolene Daninger FR-G, #15

Villanova Wildcats

18-12 (9-9)

Butler Bulldogs

21-9 (11-7)

Xavier Musketeers Dee Bekelja JR-F, #23

26-7 (14-4)

11-19 (2-16)

Marisa Warren FR-G, #30

Doug Bruno

Marquette Golden Eagles 26-7 (15-3)

34rd season at DePaul 24 NCAA Tournaments

LAST SEASON’S TEAM AVERAGES

81.1

Points Per Game

Georgetown Hoyas

16-15 (9-9)

Conference records in parentheses. Teams listed in order of preseason coaches’ poll.

72.9

Opp. Points Per Game

42%

DePaul Women’s ‘19-20 Schedule Nov. 8: Miami (Ohio) 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 22: Arkansas State 11 a.m.

Nov. 26: Milwaukee 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 1: at Northwestern TBA Dec. 7: at Green Bay 1 p.m Dec. 11: at Notre Dame TBA Dec. 14: Alabama State 3 p.m.

Dec. 16: Connecticut 7 p.m.

Dec. 20: at Loyola-Chicago 7 p.m.

Dec. 29: Marquette 4 p.m.

Jan. 3: at Providence 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 5: at Creighton 1 p.m.

Jan. 10: Seton hall 7 p.m.

Jan. 12: St. John’s Noon Jan. 17: at Xavier 6 p.m.

Jan. 19: at Butler 1 p.m.

Jan. 24: Villanova 7 p.m.

Jan. 26: Georgetown 2 p.m.

Jan. 31: Creighton 7 p.m.

Feb. 2: Providence 1 p.m.

Feb. 7: at St. John’s 6 p.m.

Feb. 9: at Seton Hall Noon Feb. 14: Butler 7 p.m.

Feb. 16: Xavier 2 p.m.

Feb. 21: at Georgetown 6 p.m.

Feb. 23: at Villanova Noon March 1: at Marquette 2 p.m.

Field Goal Percentage

Final frontier

Basketball Preview. The DePaulia. Oct. 28, 2019 | 8

Kelly Campbell and Chante Stonewall prepare for their last ride as Blue Demons

INSIDE

Oral history of Big East title Page 4-5

Seniors ready for final season Page 6

Big 10 transfer to make impact Page 6