Inside The Big East: DePaul

Reigning Big East Rookie of the Year Cleveland Melvin is back for year two on what will be an up-and-coming DePaul team. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Tribune)

Providence and new head coach Ed Cooley became the second team to be chronicled in the Big East preview series, and next is up is a rising team that I will have the pleasure of seeing twice in the upcoming season.

DePaul Blue Demons (2010-11 Record: 7-24, 1-17 Big East)

Head Coach: Oliver Purnell (2nd season at DePaul, 7-24; 401-303 overall)

Returning Starters: F Cleveland Melvin (6-8 So., 14.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 52% FG, 67% FT, 1.5 BPG)

G Brandon Young (6-3 So., 12.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 43% FG, 71% FT, 3.7 APG, 1.1 SPG)

G Jeremiah Kelly (6-0 Sr., 7.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 37% FG, 36% 3pt, 85% FT, 2.9 APG, 1.7 SPG)

C Krys Faber (6-10 Sr., 7.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 48% FG, 64% FT)
Other Key Returning Players: F Tony Freeland (6-7 Jr., 9.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 45% FG, 59% FT)
F Moses Morgan (6-6 So., 5.1 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 37% FG, 83% FT)

Key Losses: G Jimmy Drew (6.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 37% FG, 82% FT, 2.1 APG)
F Mike Stovall (5.4 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 37% FG, 79% FT, 1.2 APG)

Last season marked the debut of a new era in the long and storied history of DePaul basketball. Once a program that had dominated the Midwest for decades under legendary coach Ray Meyer, the Blue Demons have struggled to carve out their own niche in the Big East since coming over from Conference USA in 2006. Recently, DePaul has lost 52 of 54 games in conference play since the 2008-09 season; posting their second consecutive 1-17 Big East finish last season under first-year head coach Oliver Purnell, who replaced former coach Jerry Wainwright and interim head man Tracy Webster when he accepted the job following an early exit from the NCAA Tournament while coaching Clemson. This season, Purnell has built the right mix of youth and experience just outside Chicago, with four returning starters and three key players from the team that finished 0-18 in the Big East three years ago; yet managed to shock the world by defeating Cincinnati in the first round of the Big East tournament.

Cleveland Melvin, the conference's reigning Rookie of the Year, leads the Blue Demons from the power forward position as he starts his sophomore campaign. Last year, Melvin had one of the better freshman seasons one could enjoy; averaging just over fourteen points and five rebounds per game before being shelved for the Blue Demons' last four contests due to injury. Complementing Melvin's imposing presence inside is the explosiveness of point guard Brandon Young, also a sophomore. Young was the only other DePaul player to average more than ten points per game last season, posting an average of 12.6 every night while averaging over three assists during a rookie year that included a 31-point outburst against Central Michigan early in the season.

Joining Young in the backcourt is Jeremiah Kelly, now a senior. Three years ago, it was Kelly who was the key to DePaul's aforementioned Big East tournament win; and I can still vividly remember the six-footer with the Allen Iverson-esque build shooting the lights out of Madison Square Garden to dispose of the Bearcats. Kelly, whose 36 percent clip from beyond the arc led DePaul in that department, will once again serve as a combo guard for Purnell; playing off the ball while Young is on the court, but running the point in all other instances. Kelly's 2:1 assist to turnover ratio last season is a promising stat that shows stability and versatility in the guard corps for the Blue Demons, as Purnell has two qualified options to anchor his offense.

Up front, 6-10 senior Krys Faber will team with Melvin to form an effective one-two punch in the post. The team's leading rebounder last season, Faber will make his presence known on the defensive glass as Melvin will serve as DePaul's primary shot blocker. The departure of Mike Stovall and Jimmy Drew opens up a spot in the starting lineup for Tony Freeland, who will fly under the radar initially at the wing. The 6-7 junior led the Blue Demons with 69 offensive rebounds a year ago; and if nothing else, his presence in the starting five makes DePaul a more physical and defensive-minded unit.

The Blue Demons open season two under Purnell with a November 11th matchup against Texas-Pan Am before hosting Mississippi Valley State three days later at the McGrath Arena, where they will play one other home game this season. All other DePaul home contests will be played once again at the Allstate Arena, beginning December 1st against Ole Miss after the Demons return from a trip to the Old Spice Classic; where they will open with Minnesota during their stretch of three games in four days over Thanksgiving weekend in Orlando.

After the Ole Miss game, DePaul plays a pair of Horizon League opponents, first welcoming Wisconsin-Milwaukee into the Allstate Arena before traveling to Loyola-Chicago on December 7th in a mildly intriguing matchup; since former Blue Demon recruit Devin Hill faces his former team for the first time since transferring. DePaul returns home for a matchup with Chicago State prior to hitting the road one more time on December 14th to meet Northern Illinois. Arkansas-Pine Bluff comes into McGrath Arena three days later, and Cal Poly serves as DePaul's last nonconference opponent before the Blue Demons open Big East play a little later than most other schools; as DePaul's conference opener takes place at the Allstate Arena on New Year's Day against Syracuse.

Jamie Dixon and Pittsburgh are next to invade the Windy City; and DePaul will have a three-game road trip following their home showdown with the Panthers, starting with Villanova on January 8th before playing the front end of home-and-home series at the Prudential Center and Yum! Center against Seton Hall and Louisville, respectively. Home games against Georgetown and USF await before DePaul takes on Mike Rice and Rutgers at the RAC in Piscataway to conclude January.

DePaul gets another six days in between their next matchup, a February 1st home game against St. John's that I will have the opportunity to cover for JohnnyJungle.com in what will be my first major road trip with the Johnnies, not counting last February's upset win over Villanova. A road game at Cincinnati sandwiches home contests against the aforementioned Red Storm and Buzz Williams' Marquette team that advanced to the Sweet 16 a year ago. Following Marquette, the Blue Demons hit the road once again to take on Notre Dame and Connecticut before completing their home-and-home series with Rick Pitino and Louisville on February 18th.

DePaul's final four regular season contests will begin on February 20th with their penultimate road trip of the season, a trek to Carnesecca Arena to face St. John's. Providence will come to the Allstate Arena five days later, with West Virginia hosting the Blue Demons on February 28th in Morgantown. DePaul will close out the regular season at home, with Kevin Willard and Seton Hall to entertain them on March 3rd.