DePaul is one of the more up-tempo teams in the Big East as only Notre Dame and Marquette took more field goal attempts in conference play last season. The problem was they weren’t very efficient. While Notre Dame and Marquette ranked first and third, respectively, in scoring, the Blue Demons were ninth. And though they were one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league (36%), they lost their top perimeter scoring option in Draelon Burns to graduation. Burns lead the team in three-point attempts (182) and makes (63) last season. Thus far, in 2008, no one has been able to duplicate his numbers. In fact, through 13 games, the Blue Demons are shooting a woeful 27 percent from beyond the arc. Shooting is such a problem for DePaul that in their five losses, they made just 44% of their shots – including free throws. And while we are on the subject of free throws consider the following. Last season, DePaul took the fewest free throw attempts of any team in the Big East and hit just 65% – a very harmful combination. DePaul’s attempts are up over 23 per game this season but the numbers are once again marginal at 62%. They have, however, made more free throws than their opponents have attempted but time is running out on that trend with Big East play beginning this week. And while putting the ball in the basket continues to be a problem, keeping opponents from doing the same is as well. DePaul ranked last in the Big East in field goal defense (46%) last year and through 13 games, their opponents have outshot them in all three statistical categories.
As for the positives, there are only three upperclassmen on the roster and most of last year’s freshmen have already established themselves as a legitimate Big East players. Sophomore Dar Tucker is the squad’s leading scorer at 19.8 ppg. The 6-5 wing is one of only two DePaul players to shoot over 70% from the line and more importantly, is already eight free throw attempts away from topping last year’s mark of 92. Tucker is also a solid rebounder at 5.9 per game. DePaul’s second option, Mac Koshwal, is a 6-10 center who has shot 50% or better in all but one game this season. He provides at least one big body in the paint for an undersized team. Will Walker and Jabari Currie make for an experienced tandem in the backcourt. They aren’t the best of shooters (both below 39% this season) but are capable of chipping in 20 ppg combined. Rounding out the regular ration are Jeremiah Kelly and Devin Hill, who have both seen over 20 minutes per game as freshmen.
Overall, there isn’t one game this season that indicates much success for DePaul in conference play. Their win at Illinois-Chicago is somewhat impressive but Big East teams are supposed to beat inter-city foes in convincing fashion, not by a mere four points. Schedule-wise, they play Syracuse, UConn, Notre Dame and Georgetown only once, which helps them avoid four probable losses. The initial thought with this team is to play them over the total. The combination of pace and their opponent’s efficiency on offense are certainly two helpful factors. So much so that even with DePaul shooting at such a poor rate, the amount of possessions for both teams will by default lead to high-scoring affairs.
