2007-2008 Big East Conference Preview- #13

#13- DePaul Blue Demons

Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL.

Last season: 20-14 (9-7). Lost to Air Force in NIT Quarterfinals.
Head coach: Jerry Wainwright, 3rd season. 32-29 at DePaul.
Associate head coach: Gary DeCesare.
Assistant coaches: Scott Wainwright, Ramon Williams.

New additions: Michael Bizoukas (3 star PG), Dar Tucker (4 star SF), Mario Stula (3 star PF), Mac Koshwal (4 star C), Matija Poscic (JC transfer), Kene Obi (1 star C).

Losses: Wilson Chandler (14.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg), Sammy Mejia (14.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Marcus Heard (6.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Keith Butler (1.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg), Lorenzo Thompson (1.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg).

Roster: (#, Name, Ht/Wt, Pos., Class, Hometown, last year's stats)

0 Michael Bizoukas 6-1/175 G Fr. Munster, IN
3 Draelon Burns 6-4/210 G Sr. Milwaukee, WI (11.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.4 apg)
5 Karron Clarke 6-6/210 F Sr. Brooklyn, NY (6.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)
12 Cliff Clinkscales 6-1/175 G Sr. Queens, NY (1.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.3 apg)
1 Jabari Currie 6-4/215 G Jr. Detroit, MI (3.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.0 apg)
4 Wesley Green 6-9/300 C Sr. Eustis, FL (3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.6 apg)
20 Adam Handler 6-5/215 F Jr. Deerfield, IL (0.3 ppg, 0.4 rpg)
13 Mac Koshwal 6-10/240 C Fr. Chicago, IL
15 Thijin Moses 6-8/175 F So. Chicago, IL (1.2 ppg, 0.3 rpg)
55 Kene Obi 7-2/260 C Fr. Enugu, Nigeria
31 Matija Poscic 6-10/235 C Jr. Opatija, Croatia
10 Mario Stula 6-7/210 F Fr. Sibenik, Croatia
2 Dar Tucker 6-4/210 F Fr. Saginaw, MI
30 Will Walker 6-0/180 G So. Bolingbrook, IL (3.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.9 apg)
11 Joshua Washington 6-1/175 G So. Houston, TX

Backcourt:

The major question for this year's DePaul team is how do they replace Sammy Mejia and Wilson Chandler? Those two player combined for 28.7 points a game last season on a team that struggled to score. That doesn't bode well for the returning players (eight of them) who combined only averaged 31.7 ppg. We'll start in the backcourt where Mejia's loss will be felt hard by the Blue Demons. Draelon Burns is DePaul's best returning player and this senior out of Milwaukee will need to provide leadership and offense or else DePaul won't even make it to the #13 spot. Jabari Currie, Will Walker, and freshman Michael Bizoukas will battle for the other starting guard spot. Freshman Dar Tucker will challenge for the starting spot at the 3, but I think he'll be better served coming off the bench this season. Get to know him, he'll be a player down the road. Senior Cliff Clinkscales will most likely not see much time at all.

Frontcourt:

Up front, the story will be Mac Koshwal. This stud freshman center will probably earn the starting spot from day one and give DePaul a much needed boost in the frontcourt. They will miss Wilson Chandler, but in Koshwal they have a great player for years to come. Koshwal will put up a lot of points this year, but it remains to be seen how quickly he will adjust to the college game. Senior Karron Clarke (6.6 ppg) will start at forward. Clarke and Burns in the backcourt have the potential to A) provide leadership as seniors and B) form a nice inside-outside combo, opening up jumpers for Burns. Thijin Moses and Wesley Green are the only other players who return from last year's squad. Both did not see much action, only combining for 4.8 ppg last season. Two Croatians enter the Blue Demon program this year. Matija Poscic and Mario Stula should see time off the bench and make a mild impact on DePaul's frontcourt. Freshman Kene Obi is a big man at 7-2 tall, but don't expect him to see more than ten minutes per game for Jerry Wainwright's team.

Schedule:

11/9- at Creighton
11/17- vs. Northwestern
11/24- vs. North Carolina A&T
11/28- vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christie
12/8- at Kansas
12/12- vs. Vanderbilt
12/15- vs. Illinois-Chicago
12/20- vs. Mississippi (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
12/21- vs. Clemson (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
12/22- vs. La Salle (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
12/29- at Detroit
1/3- vs. Villanova
1/5- vs. Providence
1/8- vs. Georgetown
1/12- at St. John's
1/16- at Villanova
1/19- vs. Rutgers
1/21- vs. Florida Gulf Coast
1/26- at Marquette
1/30- vs. Syracuse
2/2- at Notre Dame
2/5- at Providence
2/9- vs. South Florida
2/12- vs. Louisville
2/19- at Connecticut
2/23- at Seton Hall
2/27- vs. West Virginia
3/2- vs. Notre Dame
3/6- at Cincinnati
3/9- at Pittsburgh

Projected record: 13-17 (6-12).
Postseason: None.