DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball

DePaul Blue Demons
2018–19 DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball team
University DePaul University
Head coach Dave Leitao (3rd straight, 6th overall season)
Conference Big East
Location Chicago, Illinois
Arena Wintrust Arena
(Capacity: 10,387)
Nickname Blue Demons
Colors Royal Blue and Scarlet[1]
         
Uniforms
Home
Away
Alternate
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1943, 1979
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1943, 1978, 1979
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
1953, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1986*, 1987*
NCAA Tournament appearances
1943, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986*, 1987*, 1988*, 1989*, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2004
*vacated by NCAA
Conference regular season champions
1992, 2004

The DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. The team has competed in the Big East Conference since the league's relaunch in 2013, after having been a member of the original Big East since 2005. The Blue Demons play home games at the new Wintrust Arena at the McCormick Place convention center on Chicago's Near South Side.[2] Previously, their home court had been Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois.

History

DePaul was independent for much of its basketball history and has enjoyed success with such great players as George Mikan in the 1940s. Ray Meyer coached at DePaul for over 40 years, from 1942 to 1984. After going to the Final Four of the 1979 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament,[lower-alpha 1] Meyer's team was the No. 1 seed in its regional three years in a row in 1980, 1981 and 1982. Success continued with multiple NCAA appearances under his son, Joey Meyer, throughout the 1980s.

DePaul joined the Great Midwest Conference in 1991 which later merged with the Metro Conference in 1995 to become Conference USA, in which DePaul was a member through 2005. The Blue Demons advanced to the second round of the 2004 NCAA tournament before being eliminated by eventual national champion Connecticut. DePaul left for the Big East Conference for the 2005–06 season, and joined the reconfigured Big East in 2013.[3]

The most recent men's basketball coach was Oliver Purnell, with Dave Leitao returning for the 2015-16 season in his second tenure as the Demons' coach. The coach prior to Purnell was Jerry Wainwright, who joined DePaul in 2005. Wainwright's first season with his young team was erratic, beating No. 16 Wake Forest 84–81 before falling to Old Dominion by a score of 87–43 (the worst defeat in the team's history), and then beating future Big East champion Syracuse, 108–69. In the 2006–2007 season, the Blue Demons beat powerhouse #5 Kansas 64-57, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in school history. They also beat 2007 NCAA tournament teams California, Northwestern State, Marquette, Connecticut, and Villanova. The team made it to the NIT and lost in the bracket final to Air Force 52-51.

The Demons opened up the 2008 season with two of their star players gone to the NBA. Four games into the 2007–2008 season, Wainwright logged his 200th career win as a head coach. The 2007–08 season saw the Demons with a 10–19 record, but there were high points in the year. DePaul had upsets over Villanova, then ranked #15 nationally and ultimately a member of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and Northwestern. However, things took a turn for the worse during the 2008–2009 season. DePaul went 0–18 in Big East play, setting a school-record for longest losing streak. The Demons were able to redeem themselves somewhat knocking off Big East 9th seeded team Cincinnati in the first round of the Big East tournament and putting up a fight in a close loss to 8 seed Providence. DePaul, however, has not had a winning record in any season since 2006-07.

Lack of Success since 1989

Since the 1989-90 season, DePaul has won one NCAA tournament game in the 29 seasons that have transpired. DePaul has not qualified for the NCAA Tournament since the 2003-04 season, and has been to only two NCAA Tournaments since 1991-92. The Blue Demons have not been to postseason play at all since 2006-07. DePaul has finished last in the Big East eight of the past ten seasons concluding with a tie for last in the 2017-18 season. Following that season, a group of "concerned students and alumni" purchased a full page advertisement in the Chicago Sun-Times calling for change within the school's Athletic Department. https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/depaul-students-alumni-buy-ad-calling-for-the-firing-of-athletic-director/

Seasons

Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Independent (1923–1991)
1923–24 Robert L. Stevenson 8–6
1924–25 Harry Adams 6–13
1925–26 Eddie Anderson 11–5
1926–27 Eddie Anderson 7–7
1927–28 Eddie Anderson 2–7
1928–29 Eddie Anderson 5–4
1929–30 Jim Kelly 15–5
1930–31 Jim Kelly 13–3
1931–32 Jim Kelly 9–6
1932–33 Jim Kelly 12–3
1933–34 Jim Kelly 17–0
1934–35 Jim Kelly 15–1
1935–36 Jim Kelly 18–4
1936–37 Tom Haggerty 15–6
1937–38 Tom Haggerty 12–10
1938–39 Tom Haggerty 15–7
1939–40 Tom Haggerty 22–6NIT Semifinals
1940–41 Bill Wendt 13–8
1941–42 Bill Wendt 10–12
1942–43 Ray Meyer 19–5NCAA Final Four
1943–44 Ray Meyer 22–4NIT Runner Up
1944–45 Ray Meyer 21–3NIT Champions
1945–46 Ray Meyer 19–5
1946–47 Ray Meyer 16–9
1947–48 Ray Meyer 22–8NIT Semifinals
1948–49 Ray Meyer 16–9
1949–50 Ray Meyer 12–13
1950–51 Ray Meyer 13–12
1951–52 Ray Meyer 19–8
1952–53 Ray Meyer 19–9NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1953–54 Ray Meyer 11–10
1954–55 Ray Meyer 16–6
1955–56 Ray Meyer 16–8NCAA First Round
1956–57 Ray Meyer 8–14
1957–58 Ray Meyer 8–12
1958–59 Ray Meyer 13–11NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1959–60 Ray Meyer 17–7NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1960–61 Ray Meyer 17–8NIT Quarterfinals
1961–62 Ray Meyer 13–10
1962–63 Ray Meyer 15–8NIT Quarterfinals
1963–64 Ray Meyer 21–4NIT Quarterfinals
1964–65 Ray Meyer 17–10NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1965–66 Ray Meyer 18–8NIT First Round
1966–67 Ray Meyer 17–8
1967–68 Ray Meyer 13–12
1968–69 Ray Meyer 14–11
1969–70 Ray Meyer 12–13
1970–71 Ray Meyer 8–17
1971–72 Ray Meyer 12–11
1972–73 Ray Meyer 14–11
1973–74 Ray Meyer 16–9
1974–75 Ray Meyer 15–10
1975–76 Ray Meyer 20–9NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1976–77 Ray Meyer 15–12
1977–78 Ray Meyer 27–3NCAA Elite Eight
1978–79 Ray Meyer 26–6NCAA Final Four
1979–80 Ray Meyer 26–2NCAA Second Round
1980–81 Ray Meyer 27–2NCAA Second Round
1981–82 Ray Meyer 26–2NCAA Second Round
1982–83 Ray Meyer 21–12NIT Runner Up
1983–84 Ray Meyer 27–3NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1984–85 Joey Meyer 19–10NCAA First Round
1985–86 Joey Meyer 18–13NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1986–87 Joey Meyer 28–3NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1987–88 Joey Meyer 22–8NCAA Second Round
1988–89 Joey Meyer 21–12NCAA Second Round
1989–90 Joey Meyer 20–15NIT Quarterfinals
1990–91 Joey Meyer 20–9NCAA First Round
Great Midwest Conference (1991–1995)
1991–92 Joey Meyer 20–98–21stNCAA First Round
1992–93 Joey Meyer 16–153–75th
1993–94 Joey Meyer 16–124–85thNIT First Round
1994–95 Joey Meyer 17–116–65thNIT First Round
Conference USA (1995–2005)
1995–96 Joey Meyer 11–182–124th (Blue)
1996–97 Joey Meyer 3–231–134th (Blue)
1997–98 Pat Kennedy 7–233–136th (American)
1998–99 Pat Kennedy 18–1310–64th (American)NIT Second Round
1999–00 Pat Kennedy 21–129–73rd (American)NCAA First Round
2000–01 Pat Kennedy 12–184–126th (American)
2001–02 Pat Kennedy 9–192–147th (American)
2002–03 Dave Leitao 16–138–8T–6thNIT First Round
2003–04 Dave Leitao 22–1012–41stNCAA Second Round
2004–05 Dave Leitao 20–1110–6T–4thNIT Second Round
Big East Conference (2005–2013)
2005–06 Jerry Wainwright 12–155–11T-13th
2006–07 Jerry Wainwright 20–149–78thNIT Quarterfinals
2007–08 Jerry Wainwright 11–196–1213th
2008–09 Jerry Wainwright 9–240–1816th/Last
2009–10 Jerry Wainwright
Tracy Webster		 8–231–1716th/Last
2010–11 Oliver Purnell 7–241–1716th/Last
2011–12 Oliver Purnell 12–193–1516th/Last
2012–13 Oliver Purnell 11–212–1615th/Last
Big East Conference (2013–present)
2013–14 Oliver Purnell 12–213–1510th/Last
2014–15 Oliver Purnell 12–206–127th
2015–16 Dave Leitao 9–223–159th 
2016-17 Dave Leitao 9–232–1610th/Last 
2017-18 Dave Leitao 11-204-14T-9th 
Total:1,448–1,007

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[4]

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Blue Demons have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 22 times. Their combined record is 21–25. Their appearances in the tournament from 1986–1989 have been vacated by the NCAA thus their official record is 15–21.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1943Elite Eight
Final Four		Dartmouth
Georgetown		W 46–35
L 49–53
1953First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		Miami(OH)
Indiana
Pennsylvania		W 74–72
L 82–80
L 90-70
1956First RoundWayne StateL 63–72
1959First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		Portland
Kansas State
TCU		W 57–56
L 70–102
L 65–71
1960First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		Air Force
Cincinnati
Texas		W 69–63
L 59–99
W 67–61
1965First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		Eastern Kentucky
Vanderbilt
Dayton		W 99–52
L 78–83 OT
L 69–75
1976First Round
Sweet Sixteen		Virginia
VMI		W 69–60
L 66–71 OT
1978First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		Creighton
Louisville
Notre Dame		W 80–76
W 90–89 OT
L 64–84
1979#2Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game		#7 USC
#3 Marquette
#1 UCLA
#1 Indiana State
#9 Penn		W 89–78
W 62–56
W 95–91
L 74–76
W 96–93
1980#1Second Round#8 UCLAL 71–77
1981#1Second Round#9 Saint Joseph'sL 48–49
1982#1Second Round#8 Boston CollegeL 75–82
1984#1Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#8 Illinois State
#4 Wake Forest		W 75–61
L 71–73 OT
1985#10First Round#7 SyracuseL 65–70
1986*#12First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#5 Virginia
#4 Oklahoma
#1 Duke		W 72–68
W 74–69
L 67–74
1987*#3First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#14 Louisiana Tech
#6 St. John's
#10 LSU		W 76–62
W 83–75 OT
L 58–63
1988*#5First Round
Second Round		#12 Wichita State
#4 Kansas State		W 83–62
L 58–66
1989*#12First Round
Second Round		#5 Memphis State
#4 UNLV		W 66–63
L 70–85
1991#9First Round#8 Georgia TechL 70–87
1992#5First Round#12 New Mexico StateL 73–81
2000#9First Round#8 KansasL 77–81 OT
2004#7First Round
Second Round		#10 Dayton
#2 Connecticut		W 76–69 OT
L 55–72

* Vacated by the NCAA

NIT results

The Blue Demons have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 16 times. Their combined record is 17–17. They were NIT Champions in 1945.

Year Round Opponent Result
1940Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		Long Island
Colorado
Oklahoma A&M		W 45–38
L 37–52
L 22–23
1944Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		Muhlenberg
Oklahoma A&M
St. John's		W 68–45
W 41–38
L 39–47
1945Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		West Virginia
Rhode Island
Bowling Green		W 76–52
W 97–53
W 71–54
1948Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		NC State
NYU
WKU		W 75–64
L 59–72
L 59–61
1961QuarterfinalsProvidenceL 67–73
1963QuarterfinalsVillanovaL 51–63
1964QuarterfinalsNYUL 66–79
1966First RoundNYUL 65–68
1983First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		Minnesota
Northwestern
Ole Miss
Nebraska
Fresno State		W 76–73
W 65–63
W 75–67
W 68–58
L 60–69
1990First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		Creighton
Cincinnati
Saint Louis		W 89–72
W 61–59
L 47–54
1994First RoundNorthwesternL 68–69
1995First RoundIowaL 87–96
1999First Round
Second Round		Northwestern
California		W 69–64
L 57–58
2003First RoundNorth CarolinaL 72–83
2005First Round
Second Round		Missouri
Texas A&M		W 75–70
L 72–75
2007First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		Hofstra
Kansas State
Air Force		W 83–71
W 70–65
L 51–52

Honors

Retired jerseys

No. Player Position Career
24Mark AguirreSF1978–81
99George MikanC1942–46

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Person Position
George MikanPlayer
Ray MeyerCoach

National Player of the Year

Person Year Awarded
George Mikan1944, 1945
Mark Aguirre1980

National Coach of the Year

DePaul has had two of their coaches awarded the National Coach of the Year, done on five occasions. [5]

Person Year Awarded
Ray Meyer1978, 1979, 1980, 1984
Joey Meyer1987

Professional players

The following former DePaul Blue Demons have played in the NBA or original ABA:[6]

The following former DePaul Blue Demons have played professionally in leagues outside of the United States:

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ At the time, the NCAA did not sponsor championships in women's sports.

References

  1. ↑ DePaul University Graphic Identity Guidelines (PDF). Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Event Center at McCormick Square to be named Wintrust Arena" (Press release). DePaul Blue Demons. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  3. ↑ "DePaul Men's Basketball History". Archived from the original on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  4. ↑ DePaul men's basketball year-by-year results. Retrieved 2013-Oct-01.
  5. ↑ DePaul Basketball Record Book: All-Time Honors| accessdate=2009-03-03
  6. ↑ NBA & ABA Players Who Attended DePaul University
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