Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:02 pm

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DePaul Invited to Orlando Invitational Tournament
The now annual Orlando Invitational, sponsored by Advocare, has brought many of the best college basketball teams to Orlando for a preseason tournament. The tournament has tried to always have representatives from each of the major conferences, including the Big East.

In past years, the Big East has found success in the eight-team tournament. The last iteration, in 2019, saw Marquette lose in the finals to Maryland. The prior year, Villanova won the tournament and 2017 saw St. Johns finish third overall.

The multi-day event will spotlight DePaul on a national stage, with all games carried on ESPN. This year, the tournament will likely host many top 25 teams including North Carolina, Purdue, Houston and Depaul's first round draw - Baylor.

Baylor is coming off what is likely their best season in recent memory. Losing many players off last year's roster, Scott Drew's team will still be one of the preseason favorites in the Big XII.

First round games will tip on November 25th; during the weekend following Thanksgiving.

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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:46 pm

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Braden Huff Commits to DePaul After Chicago Showcase
Three-star forward Braden Huff, a 6'8" forward from Glenbard West High School, committed to DePaul. Born and raised in the suburbs just west of Chicago, Huff becomes the second player to commit to DePaul for the Class of '22. He did so just days after a solid performance at the Chicago Showcase.

The annual Chicago Showcase event has become a way for top Midwest basketball prospects to spotlight their talents. Over 300 of the best high school players travelled to Chicago's Pullman Center to show their skills in front of college scouts and coaches from around the country.

This event happening in DePaul's backyard has consistently been a way for the Blue Demons to scout the area's best players. Given the competition for Chicagoland recruits, events like these are critical for DePaul's recruiting success.

This year, with multiple scholarships available, DePaul's new coaching staff has been busy. Head Coach Kenny Payne and Associate Head Coach Ernie Kent were on-hand for the event, but they had already put out scholarship offers to multiple players in attendance.

Recently committed Chisom Okpara was a standout in the 17U division, showing off his athleticism and ability to guard multiple positions on the wing.

Braden Huff, also in the 17U, showed his skill with the basketball and solid shooting form. He is still developing physically but looks to be a stretch forward with room to grow at the next level.

Along with Okpara and Huff, four-star forward A.J. Casey put on a show. The Whitney Young product has offers from Illinois, Michigan, and Gonzaga but said he's still considering an offer from the hometown Blue Demons.

A strong start to recruiting for Kenny Payne shows one of the reasons that AD DeWayne Peevy likely brought him to DePaul. Payne now has at least one more scholarship spot available for next year, and that's without any changes to the current roster. While it seems the roster has stabilized, they are still months away from their first practice.
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:52 pm

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DePaul Bball Roster Seems Set Before Start of Fall Semester
DePaul University is welcoming a new freshman class in two weeks. The University's men's basketball program will start practice soon after, with a roster that is already remade in year one under Head Coach Kenny Payne.

Recently, sophomore forward Keon Edwards entered his name in the transfer portal. Citing uncertainty around playing time and looking for a change of scenery, he found it in the Big Ten. The former Top 100 recruit joined the Nebraska Cornhuskers, adding to Coach Fred Hoiberg's second year roster.

Edwards is eligible to paly right away with the NCAA lax on transfer rules following two seasons that were drastically different due to COVID. This next basketball season will likely see a return to normalcy, as even fans will likely be allowed at DePaul home games later this fall.

Those relaxed transfer rules also helped a new coaching staff to supplement what was being lost due to attrition and graduation. DePaul will be welcoming three transfer scholarship players: Forward Shon Robinson (formerly of Ole Miss), guard Jalen Terry (Oregon transfer), and they recently added Kansas transfer Tyon Grant-Foster.

Grant-Foster was one of the first players tied to DePaul when Payne took over as Head Coach. 'TGF' as he's affectionately called by many, ended up staying in the transfer portal for a longer period of time as he weighed his remaining eligibility and places he could continue his basketball career.

The native of Kansas City, Tyon went the junior college route out of high school. Entering into the highly competitive Kansas JUCO ranks, he was one of the nation's best JUCO players when he decided to attend Kansas.

A 6'7" wing player, he is comfortable playing multiple spots on the floor. A talented offensive player and capable shooter, he will likely fill a role similar to what Edwards left behind. He will have two years of eligibility remaining, with the NCAA granting him an opportunity to play immediately.

Robinson, Terry, and Grant-Foster are all expected to play and earn minutes. They could be fighting for starting spots, with DePaul only returning two starters: Romeo Weems (bypassed the NBA) and Javon Freeman-Liberty.

Just as practice begins, Coach Payne announced that the Blue Demons will have a full roster of 13 scholarship players and two walk-ons. They plan to debut the official roster soon, but their current focus is wrapping up recruiting to put the finishing touches on the Class of '22.
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:31 pm

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DePaul Locks In 3 Commits for Class of '22
Head Coach Kenny Payne has stressed the significance of 'locking in' recruits ahead of college basketball's early signing period. Before the start of the 2021-22 season, his first at the helm of the Blue Demons, Payne has already received the verbal commitment of three members of the Class of 2022.

Early signing period is scheduled for the third week of November and DePaul is hoping that their trio of recruits may consider a signed Letter of Intent during that window. No matter the player's preference, Payne is confident that DePaul has the beginnings of a strong class.

Led by four-star Chisom Okpara, from national power La Lumiere in Indiana, the class also features two three-star players. Guard D.J. Jefferson is the most recent to commit, as the Texas native and Minnesota Prep Academy star was considering multiple offers from major programs.

Finally, the class includes three-star forward Braden Huff. At 6'8" with a solid shot, he projects to be a stretch big in the mold of a combo forward for DePaul. He has been a major riser this summer with his work on the summer circuit.

Okpara is expected to sign early, but all three players will be enrolling for the fall of 2022. Okpara has a connection to the current coaching staff, having been on DePaul's radar since his sophomore year. A strong player with room to add to his 6'7" frame, the coaching staff is excited about his potential at the college level.

"Potential" is a word often used to describe the three members of the class thus far. D.J. Jefferson is 6'4" but sports a 6'8" wingspan and has been a deadeye shooter in high school. There's hope that he can improve his all-around game, but that his skills could earn him minutes as a true freshman.

The same can be said for Huff. Currently, DePaul's roster is short on big men. Adding a player like Huff gives them a capable front court player that could already fit into a college offense.

DePaul's class currently ranks 4th in the Big East and 37th Nationally. It's possible DePaul could open another scholarship spot before signing day in the spring. The coaching staff continues to talk as if they're not done recruiting. However, they're off to a strong start in the Payne era.

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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:09 pm

2021-22 DePaul Roster
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Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Kenny Payne
Associate Head Coach: Ernie Kent
Assistant Coach: Scott Padgett
Assistant Coach: Aaron Brooks
Director of Basketball Operations: Ralph Davis
Ast. Dir. of Basketball Operations: Shane Heirman
Director of Player Development: Andre Brown
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Sat May 01, 2021 12:50 pm

DePaul Men's Basketball 2021-22 Schedule
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Mon May 03, 2021 1:52 pm

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DePaul Preview: Strong Recruiting Start Highlights Payne's Approach
New Head Coach Kenny Payne has been clear about the challenges facing DePaul's basketball program. "We can't pretend like this is going to be easy." he said at his introductory press conference. Standing next to Athletic Director DeWayne Peevy; it became clear that both men's careers and successes were now likely tied together.

Peevy has proven to be a capable fundraiser and steward for the University's athletics. Much like Payne, Peevy has also been honest about the road ahead. Both men know the importance of men's basketball as a driver for the University and it's Athletic Department.

Already we have seen a change in the style of how Kenny Payne is building the program. He focused on retaining the roster, a strong recruiting class and finding players that fit a "long term plan."

DePaul does not want to become a weight station for transfer players and junior college prospects. They also don't want to be a one-and-done factory, especially with the changing dynamics of player's options coming out of high school.

"We want good players, but players that can grow with us. We will always be recruiting players that have an interest and the ability to play professionally. But, we can't just swing for the fences and strike out. We have to be honest about the position of the program. We need to build it the right way." said Payne, in a recent interview after one of DePaul's open practices.

This is something fans of the program understand all too well. DePaul has made a habit of recruiting high-end players, five star recruits and ultimately missing out on those players to larger programs.

In recent memory, Tyger Campbell sticks out as a major blow to the last coaching staff. The four-star point guard played at La Lumiere under Shane Heirman and had committed to DePaul in the spring following his junior year.

Ranked as a top 30 recruit, he was receiving interest from major programs but chose to play for the Blue Demons. It's believed he was the highest rated recruit to commit to DePaul since Quintin Richardson.

In September, before his Senior year, he reclassified to join the Class of 2018 and opened his commitment looking to sign early to a different program. Campbell chose UCLA, leaving DePaul behind with a similar bad taste in their mouth

Even more recently is the story of Amari Bailey. Bailey was a standout player at a young age in the Chicago prep scene. He was offered a scholarship by DePaul during his 8th Grade year. Laughable at the time, Bailey would grow into being a highly coveted combo guard in the Class of 2022.

He would move to play his high school basketball at Sierra Canyon in California (home program to Bronny James). A recent powerhouse program, Bailey opened up his recruitment after a standout sophomore campaign. The lefty became a scoring sensation that saw his highlights go viral and it seemed his clout outgrew his commitment to DePaul.

Much like Campbell, he also chose UCLA. He is entering his senior season ranked as one of the five best players in the Class of 2022.

Recruiting the Chicagoland area and the premiere programs in the Midwest is important. Too often, DePaul has been left at the alter after 'swinging above their weight.' Those misses on the recruiting trail hurt more because the program isn't stable enough to absorb the blow.

It seems Kenny Payne and his staff have recognized that. Many around the program are hoping that the days of missing on Tyger Campbell are gone. There won't be a need for gimmicks, like offering a middle schooler, because the program will be in a better place.
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Tue May 04, 2021 2:04 pm

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2021 Men's Basketball Media Day
This year marks the second straight year that the annual Big East media day was held virtually. Coaches and players from each of the 11 programs in the Big East had media availability and answer questions from a group of national and local reporters.

This year, there was only one new coach in attendance: DePaul's Kenny Payne. Payne takes over the Blue Demons as the only new coach in the Big East. He starts a rebuilding process that has his team ranked last in the annual Preseason Coaches Poll.

Each year, the programs vote on how they think their Big East colleagues stack up in the conference. Villanova has dominated the preseason poll for the last decade. That trend continued with the Wildcats receiving 9 of the 11 first place votes.

The other two first place votes went to Xavier. Those two teams, along with UConn, return multiple starters and are expected to be Top 25 teams this year. Georgetown was the only other program ranked in the first preseason AP Top 25.

Here are the results of the 2021 Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. Villanova (9 1st Place Votes): 99 points
2. Xavier (2 1st Place Vote): 90 points
3. Georgetown: 81 points
4. UConn: 76 points
5. Creighton: 74 points
6. Seton Hall: 50 points
7. Butler: 39 points
8. Marquette: 33 points
9. St. John’s: 30 points
10. Providence: 21 points
11. DePaul: 12 points
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Tue May 04, 2021 3:17 pm

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DePaul Announces Home Attendance Cap, Changes to "Fan Experience"
New changes to state-level restrictions have allowed fans to attend indoor and outdoor sporting events. That's good news for the second half the Chicago Bears schedule. The same can be said for the Bulls, who will be tipping off their season shortly. The loss of revenue and home attendance has been costly for professional sports. It's also put a major burden on collegiate sports, especially the sports that are revenue drivers for their respective Athletic Departments.

That's true of DePaul's situation with their men's basketball program and Wintrust Arena. Opened at the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Wintrust Arena was a major investment by the University and the City of Chicago into a new community arena that was closer to the center of the city.

Previously, DePaul played their home games at Allstate Arena since it opened in 1980. Allstate Arena was in Rosemont, a suburb that's 15 miles northwest of DePaul's campus. Less than ideal for attendance, it was also a large arena that was difficult to fill and carried a large overhead cost.

Enter Wintrust. Announced in May of 2013, it opened in October of 2017 after a difficult construction process that racked up a $173 million dollar bill. $70 million came directly from the University while $100 million was sourced from public funds. It was controversial, especially for a city that faced major budget deficits.

The pandemic meant the arena was closed for well over a year. Now, it reopens and many are hoping that the past controversy can subside so the University and the arena can become profitable.

Since DePaul started playing games at Wintrust, they saw a noticeable uptick in attendance each year. Here are the reported attendance figures for the Blue Demons first three seasons at Wintrust:
2017-18: 5,765 per game in paid attendance, 2,615 per game in real attendance
2018-19: 3,901 per game in paid attendance, 1,274 per game in real attendance
2019-20: 4,409 per game in paid attendance, 2,105 per game in real attendance

The 2017-18 figure is inflated because of the team's opening game that season against Notre Dame. The Blue Demons' first home game at Wintrust saw attendance over 7,500 against the Irish. Disregarding that game, the per game figures are much lower.

Wintrust was billed as a smaller, more intimate arena in the heart of the city. It's blocks from Soldier Field, close to the South Loop and easy for many fans in the city to attend games. It's still 6 miles from DePaul's campus, but the University provides free transportation for students, alumni and employees to attend games in person.

That transportation will continue this year, but DePaul announced major changes to coincide with the announced attendance restrictions from the state of Illinois. Indoor facilities are limited to 50% attendance, meaning Wintrust Arena will top out at 5,000 tickets available for all events until January 1st of 2022.

It's expected attendance will open up more in 2022. DePaul is anticipating that and will announce changes to the fan experience when capacity restrictions are lifted. For now, DePaul will make 5,000 tickets available to each home game.

Since DePaul opens with numerous home games in the nonconference, they've announced that people with Season Tickets are given first access. Some fans and alumni have specific seats and those have been honored after a year away.

For those that have Season Tickets in premium or club-level seats, buying-in to the 2021-22 season gets you the 2022-23 season at a 25% discount. The University is looking to retain past season ticket holders and entice new people that would need to make a 3 or 5-year commitment to obtain premium or club-level seats.

Discounted packages and lower prices are meant to bring more people to games. Beyond that, DePaul's new Athletic Director DeWayne Peevy has announced that they are looking to change the student section.

Currently, students have access to the 'Demon deck' - a second level standing room concourse where students can congregate together and watch games. There is also additional second level seating for students. This has not been popular with students, with many opting to buy regular seats than stand at the 'Demon Deck.'

It's had an effect on the in-game experience. DePaul's students were used to seats on the baseline at Allstate Arena. This change has turned many students away, even with Wintrust being much closer to campus.

"We know it's something we need to change." said AD Peevy during comments made after the Big East Media Day. "Fans and students need to be closer to the action. While the Demon Deck offers a good sight line... it still separates them from the rest of the arena. I think we can integrate that concourse better and bring students closer to the floor."

While nothing has been announced, it's expected something could change when capacity restrictions are lifted. For now, DePaul enters into another season facing concerns over attendance, fan interest, and a lack of student engagement.
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Re: Waking the Sleeping Demon | Maize's DePaul Dynasty

Postby jdbmaize » Wed May 05, 2021 12:58 pm

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DePaul Preview: Team Overview and Season Prediction
DePaul basketball is starting a new era under Head Coach Kenny Payne. Payne comes to Lincoln Park after a one year stint in the NBA with the New York Knicks. That spell was after a decade of working with Coach Cal at Kentucky. A highly regarded assistant, he is considered one of the better player development coaches and recruiters in college basketball.

His time in Kentucky crossed with AD DeWayne Peevy's tenure with the Wildcats. The two men worked together and share a vision for the Blue Demons. Payne built a staff in that image; bringing in experienced coaches and recruiters, along with former players to build a strong basketball culture.

Payne had to work quickly to save a roster that faced major attrition. In the end, bringing in a small freshman class was aided with transfer players from major programs. The question for DePaul: Is this year one of a rebuild or a 'Year Zero?' Is the foundation in place to build or is this team still a year away from competing...

2020-21 Record: 8-21 Overall, 3-17 in the Big East
Big East Finish: Last Place, 3 games behind 10th Place St. John's
Final Net Ranking: 141st Overall (257th Offense, 47th Defense)

Key Departures: Three Starters: PG Charlie Moore (graduation), guard Ray Salnave (graduation), forward Pauly Paulicap (Grad Transfer to West Virginia). Transfers: Kobe Elvis (to Drake), Keon Edwards (to Nebraska).

Key Returners: Two Starters: forward Romeo Weems (opted out of NBA Draft) and senior guard Javon Freeman-Liberty (Senior, leading returning scorer). Center Nick Ongenda returns after testing the transfer portal; the same for senior forward Darious Hall. Hall has battled sophomore forward David Jones for a starting spot. Jones enrolled early last winter and considered returning to his home, the Dominican Republic, before deciding to stay at DePaul. Guard Markese Jacobs returns after sitting out last season. He was recovering from a knee injury and did not play after appearing in 21 games for DePaul in the previous season.

Key Additions: Three transfers: So. PG Jalen Terry (from Oregon), So. C Shon Robinson (from Ole Miss), and Jr. wing Tyon Grant-Foster (from Kansas). All three are fighting for starting positions and impressed in camp. Robinson is dealing with a foot injury that will limit his minutes early in the season. Incoming Freshman: Guard Ahamad Bynum (4-Star, Ranked 102nd Nationally), Forward Kok Yat (3-Star, Ranked 185th Nationally).

Projected Starters: Sr. Javon Freeman-Liberty, So. Jalen Terry, So. David Jones, Jr. Romeo Weems, Jr. Nick Ongenda

Projected Bench Contributors: Jr. Tyon Grant-Foster, So. Shon Robinson, Sr. Darious Hall, So. Markese Jacobs, and Fr. Ahamad Bynum

Outlook: Head Coach Kenny Payne has commented often on the competitive spirit in practice. Known as a 'player's coach,' he has been fiery and loud in practice, definitely demanding a lot out of his players. It's unknown how DePaul will play and if Payne is building this year different from his long term plans for the program.

The goal seems to be evaluating the roster through competition. Expect DePaul to play a lot of players off their bench, allowing Payne to keep players accountable for mistakes they make in games. Weems and Freeman-Liberty will lead the way; they're also the only players whose starting positions seem secure.

The schedule sets up for DePaul to earn some early victories. That will allow them to build some confidence while they continue to evaluate the rotation. Style and scheme also are unknowns at this time; although Payne was credited for bringing more zone defense to Kentucky. Those teams were still heavy on man-to-man, but expect Payne to install an aggressive but multiple defensive scheme.

Last year, it was the offense that lagged and ultimately cost DePaul victories. That's expected again this year, although the transfers added are all players with capable offensive games. The roster still features multiple four-star and highly recruited players. It might even feature an NBA player (Weems), or players with future ambitions of playing professionally.

The goal for this year is not in wins and losses. Fans seem to be patient and understanding, given that DePaul is far removed from a history of postseason appearances. If DePaul can win more than 10 games and stay competitive in the Big East, that is probably enough to consider this year a success.
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