2014-15 basketball preview

2014-2015 BASKETBALL PREVIEW

Striving to improve

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Breakout candidates

Garrett’s battle with sickle cell

11/15/14 vs UIC 9 p.m. 11/18/14 vs Drake 8 p.m. 11/26/14 vs Lehigh 7 p.m. 11/30/14 vs Stanford 1:30 p.m. 12/02/14 vs Northern Illinois 8 p.m. 12/04/14 @Chicago State 7 p.m. 12/07/14 vs Milwaukee 1 p.m. 12/11/14 @ George Washington 6 p.m. 12/14/14 vs Illinois State 3 p.m. 12/18/14 @ Oregon State 9 p.m. 12/22/14 vs Colorado* 3:30 p.m. 12/23/14 TBD* 12/25/14 TBD* 12/31/14 Marquette 4 p.m. 01/03/15 Xavier 1 p.m. 01/07/15 @ Creighton 8 p.m. 01/10/15 @ Villanova 3 p.m. 01/13/15 vs Georgetown 8 p.m. 01/18/15 vs St. John’s 1:30 p.m. 01/25/15 @ Seton Hall 6 p.m. 01/27/15 @ Providence 8 p.m. 01/31/15 vs Villanova 1 p.m. 02/03/15 vs Seton Hall 8 p.m. 02/07/15 @ Butler 2:30 p.m. 02/11/15 @ St. John’s 8 p.m. 02/18/15 vs Providence 8 p.m. 02/21/15 @ Georgetown 7 p.m. 02/24/15 vs Creighton 8 p.m. 02/28/14 vs Butler 1 p.m. 03/07/15 @ Marquette 1 p.m.

DePaul Men’s‘14-15 Schedule

11/14/14 vs Texas A&M 6:30 p.m.11/15/14 vs Texas-Pan American 6:30 p.m. 11/16/14 vs New Mexico 4:30 p.m.11/18/14 vs Bradley 5:30 p.m. 11/22/14 vs South Dakota State 7 p.m.11/29/14 vs Northwestern 7 p.m.12/03/14 vs Butler Noon12/07/14 @ Chicago State 2 p.m.12/10/14 vs Notre Dame 8 p.m.12/17/14 @ Loyola 11 a.m. 12/19/14 @ UConn 6:30 p.m. 12/22/14 vs Hampton 7 p.m. 12/28/14 @ Illinois State 2 p.m.01/02/15 @ Villanova 6 p.m. 01/04/15 @ Georgetown 4 p.m. 01/09/15 @ Marquette 7 p.m.01/11/15 vs Xavier 2 p.m. 01/16/15 @ St. John’s 6 p.m.01/18/15 @ Seton Hall 7 p.m. 01/23/15 vs Creighton 8 p.m. 01/25/15 vs Providence 2 p.m. 01/30/15 vs Georgetown 7 p.m.02/01/15 vs Villanova 2 p.m.02/06/15 @ Butler 10:30 a.m.02/08/15 @ Xavier 1 p.m.02/13/15 vs Seton Hall 7 p.m.02/15/15 vs St. John’s 7 p.m. 02/20/15 @ Creighton 7 p.m.02/22/15 @ Providence Noon03/01/15 vs Marquette 3 p.m.

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT: 3/07/15—3/10/15

DePaul Women’s‘14-15 Schedule

2 | Basketball Preview. Nov. 10, 2014.

Lacking star power

Catching the Blue Demons

Doug McDermott is gone and the rest of the Big East lacks star power like in years’ past. Who will emerge from this group of 10?

DePaul was the only women’s team in the Big East to earn a berth to the NCAA tournament last year. Will anyone else step up?

Villanova Wildcats

DePaul Blue Demons

Georgetown Hoyas

St.John’s Red Storm

St. John’s Red Storm

Villanova Wildcats

Xavier Musketeers

Creighton Bluejays

Providence Friars

Seton Hall

Providence made a surprise run in the Big East tournament and upset Creighton in the finals. Their biggest obstacle this year is replacing electric guard Bryce Cotton.

Leading scorer Ka’Deidre Simmons and the Pirates will have a nice new addition in graduate Daisha Simmons, who was finally granted a transfer from Alabama after a ridiculous initial resistence led to widespread backlash.

Entering their second year in the Big East, Xavier will try to repeat making the NCAA tournament. The Musketeers are coming off their eighth 20-win season in the last nine years.

Junior forward Marissa Janning was voted to repeat as Big East Player of the Year. Janning led the Big East with 17.6 points per game last season and 19.9 in conference play.

Promising sophomore Rysheed Jordan and senior D’Angelo Harrison lead a strong backcourt for St. John’s. After two seasons in a row in the NIT tournament, the Red Storm will try to get over the hump.

Head coach Harry Perretta is in his 37th year as head coach for the Wildcats. Villanova has 13 returning players, including four starters — a good sign for a team that won 23 games last year.

Junior D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera was voted the 2014-15 Big East Preseason Player of the Year. Even more encouraging for the Hoyas, Georgetown’s incoming recruiting class was ranked seventh by ESPN.

Junior forward Aliyyah Handford was a unanimous pick for the Preseason All-Big East team. Handford led the team with 16.7 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game last season.

No. 12 Villanova received all nine first-place votes for good reason — all five projected starters were on the team a year ago. Head coach Jay Wright and his Dove Men+Care sponsored hair has a lot to look forward to.

DePaul received all nine first-place votes to repeat as conference champions. Four of their five starters have returned from last year’s Sweet Sixteen squad. Behind strong guard play, the Blue Demons are a threat again.

18-15 (8-12)

23-11(13-5)

20-13 (10-8)

23-9 (12-6)

21-13 (10-8)

20-14 (12-6)

23-12 (10-8)

20-14 (8-10)

29-5 (16-2)

29-7(15-3)

Seton Hall Pirates

Providence Friars

Butler Bulldogs

Marquette Golden Eagles

Marquette Golden Eagles

Georgetown Bulldogs

Creighton Bluejays

DePaul Blue Demons

Xavier Musketeers

Will this be the year that the Blue Demons exit the cellar of the Big East? Head coach Oliver Purnell hopes better team chemistry and improved play from sophomores Billy Garrett Jr. and Tommy Hamilton will lead DePaul.

Butler is the third school in the Big East to have a new head coach with Kurt Godlevske getting his first head coaching opportunity. He’ll have the task of trying to replace eight departing players with seven newcomers.

Most expect a large dropoff without National Player of the Year Doug McDermott. Also hurting the Bluejays, the team lost three other starters, as well. Greg McDermott’s patience will be tested.

Xavier has nine newcomers for the upcoming season with six freshmen and three transfers. Head coach Brian Neal also looks forward to having back three players who missed signifciant time from injuries.

Did Buzz Williams see the writings on the wall when he left for Virginia Tech, or will new head coach Steve Wojciechowski right the ship? Marquette failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.

Georgetown also moved on from their head coach, hiring Natasha Adair in place of Jim Lewis. Adair has a promising guard-forward combination in freshman Dorothy Adomako and sophomore Faith Woodard.

Head coach Brandon Miller, 35, is on an indefinite leave of absence for unspecified health reasons with no clear return date. The team will try to improve under assistant Chris Holtman.

Marquette moved on from long-time head coach Terri Mitchell, who was the head coach for the previous 18 years. Carolyn Kieger replaces Mitchell and will have the obstacle of replacing three key starters.

Coming off a strong finish where they upset Villanova in the Big East tournament, Seton Hall looks to carry that momentum into the season. Freshman Isiah Whitehead was voted Big East Preseason Rookie of the Year.

The Friars are expected to take a leap forward behind forward Alexis Harris. Harris, a junior, was second on the team in scoring with 14 points per game and was selected to the Preseason All-Big East team.

14-17 (4-14)

22-11 (11-7)

17-15 (9-9)

11-21(4-14)

27-8 (14-4)

8-23 (3-15)

12-21 (3-15)

15-16 (10-8)

17-17 (6-12)

7-23 (2-16)

Conference records in parentheses, all conference records are Big East unless otherwise noted. Teams listed in order of preseason

coaches’ poll.

* All games to be played in Honolulu, Hawaii as part of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT: 3/11/15—3/15/15

Butler Bulldogs

Basketball Preview. Nov. 10, 2014. | 3

Billy Garrett, So.

Aaron Simpson, Jr. Darrick Wood, So.

Cory Dolins, Sr.David Molinari, Jr.

Joe Hanel, Fr.Greg Sequele, Sr.

Peter Ryckbosch, Jr.(out for year with injury)

Jamee Crockett, Sr.

Rashaun Stimage, Jr.

Oliver Purnell

Durrell McDonald, Jr.

Myke Henry, Jr.

Forrest Robinson, Sr. Tommy Hamilton, So.

MEN’SFull CourtCoverage

PGSTARTING

LINEUP

DEPTHCHART

HC

69.475.442%

SG SF PF CPts 12.4Reb 2.4Ast 3.0

Fifth season at DePaul42-77 with the Blue Demons

436-358 with five teams

Pts 5.4Reb 1.8Ast 1.2




LAST SEASON’S TEAM AVERAGES

Points Per Game

(Projected)

Opp. Points Per Game

Field Goal Percentage

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE 2014-15 ROSTER

Led by sophomore Billy Garrett Jr., the Blue Demons have a lot of depth at the guard position. Garrett, who earned the Big East Rookie of the Year award last season, is the team’s anchor and their success rides on him.

The question of who would start next to him was unclear before the season began, but the situation looks a little clearer now. Junior Durrell McDonald often spent time with him on the court last season, and head coach Oliver Purnell said McDonald will get the start.

Backing them up is junior Aaron Simpson, who transferred from Lincoln College. A natural scorer, Simpson can provide a spark off the bench.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS

GRANT MYATT | THE DEPAULIA

Myke Henry’s athleticism is a nice addition for the Blue Demons.

(Projected)

R.J. Curington, So.

This year, DePaul has an assortment of wing players who are fighting for playing time.

Competing for the starting small forward spot are junior Myke Henry and senior Jamee Crockett. Purnell said the competition is bringing out the best in each player. Right now, it seems that Henry, who is a transfer from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will get the nod with Crockett backing him up. Both players will play the three and are capable of playing the four in smaller lineups.

R.J. Curington and Darrick Wood are both shooting guards who can play on the wing or even handle the ball. Curington, a 3-point specialist, has the edge right now.

Lacking a traditional center, sophomore Tommy Hamilton and senior Forrest Robinson are forwards who have longer range. Hamilton showed a lot of promise as a freshman, and if he can develop a post game, he can become a very viable option for the Blue Demons.

Rashaun Stimage, a former Chicago public league standout, was in position to be the starting power forward until a foot fracture sidelined him until conference play. Stimage has an impressive work ethic and excels at rebounding and defense.

Greg Sequele will come off the bench to provide rebounding and defense. Peter Ryckbosch will miss the year because of an ACL tear.

Back Court BigsWing Players

GOING LOCAL The Blue Demons have nine players from the Chicago area this season, the most during Oliver Purnell’s tenure.

4 | Basketball Preview. Nov. 10 2014.

When men’s basketball head coach Oliver Purnell took the job at DePaul, he knew there would be a number of unseen challenges. Among them, he said that playing at Allstate Arena and getting local kids to commit to the program have been the most challenging.

As DePaul heads into year five of the Purnell era, the 63-year-old head coach sports a 42-77 record at the school.

“I’ve personally enjoyed the first four years I’ve been here,” Purnell said. “Professionally it’s been hard. I knew it would be hard. But at the same time, we continue to climb and challenge ourselves. We feel like we’re that much closer to turning the program around.”

Both the men’s and women’s basketball team look to continue to climb upward this upcoming season. For the women’s team, longtime head coach Doug Bruno led his squad to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament last year — winning the Big East and upsetting No. 4 Duke

along the way.While the men’s team looks to get out of the cellar of

the Big East, the women’s team will try to establish itself upon women’s college basketball’s elite company. The team will do so with 10 of the 15 players on the team a year ago, including four returning starters.

“You like to think that experience always helps,” Bruno said. “That’s one of the most important aspects of college basketball. I think the experience (of last season) is going to be very beneficial to us this season.”

In last season’s run, the women’s team went 29-7 with a 15-3 record in the Big East. The Blue Demons established themselves with a high-powered offense and pressure in the backcourt. By season’s end, DePaul ranked fifth in the nation in scoring (83.5 points per game), third in assists (19.6) and fourth in steals (11.6).

Starters Brittany Hrynko, Chanise Jenkins and Megan Rogowski all clicked together at the same time. Sophomore Jessica January also came off the bench to help provide a second boost.

Jenkins said the team has to stay grounded to not only

repeat last year’s accomplishments, but to also take the next step.

“We just have to mesh well together and focus not too far ahead of ourselves,” Jenkins said. “Familiarity helps. We know where each other is going to be, and that plays a key part of our success.”

Hrynko also said that the benefit of last season was a building block on what the team needed to do to be successful.

“It showed us what we’re able to accomplish, and what we have to do to get there,” Hrynko said, following the loss to Texas A&M in the Sweet Sixteen. “Me and Chanise wanting to be leaders to help our teammates get better was huge (last year). We look forward to being in that role again.”

Meanwhile, the men’s program is trying to build consistency. The men went 3-15 in the Big East last year and were riddled with inconsistency. The team finished the season losing 13 out of their last 15 games, but also upset Georgetown in the Big East tournament for their first conference tournament win since 2009.

By Matthew ParasSports Editor

YEAR ONEYEAR TWO

YEAR THREEYEAR FOURYEAR FIVE

7-2412-19

11-21

12-21

?

Turning five

AN UPHILLCLIMBBoth teams face new obstacles this season

The men’s and women’s basketball teams were at two vastly different points last season. The men’s program had another last place finish in the Big East, while the women’s team made a stellar run to the Sweet Sixteen. Now, they have to take the next needed step.

If you can defend, you have a great chance at winning. ... You see some talented teams, but the teams that play together are the teams that are going to win

Billy Garrett Jr.

DEPAULIA FILE


The season, which was also derailed with off the court suspensions, injuries and the exit of leading scorer Cleveland Melvin in February, was a lot different than what sophomore Billy Garrett Jr. was expecting. Before the start of his first season, Garrett said he expected the Blue Demons to be a 20-win team.

He was in for a rude awakening. He soon realized what it took to be a better team.

“If you can defend, you have a great chance at winning,” Garrett said. “That’s why you see so many upsets. The talent difference isn’t that great. You see some talented teams, but the teams that play together are the teams that are going to win.”

It was team chemistry, Purnell said, that got in the way of winning last season. Purnell said the bad chemistry affected the basic idea of coming together and “coming out every day to collectively try and get better.”

“You combine (the chemistry) with injuries and illness, it’s easy to see why we didn’t get better consistently as the year went along,” Purnell said. “We were up and then down. Fortunately, we have a core group of guys who

hung in there. We played up at the end in the Big East tournament, so we’re trying to build on that.”

If chemistry is the biggest obstacle for the men’s team to make a turnaround, the most challenging problem for the women will be how they replace Jasmine Penny, who graduated and led the team in scoring.

Without Penny, the team is losing size and consistent production. The Blue Demons are a very small team with just four players over 5-foot-10.

“Hopefully we develop some inside play,” Bruno said. “(Sophomore) Brandi Harvey-Carr has moments where she’s really good and other moments where she’s not. We need consistency and to establish some form of an inside game.”

But like every year, there’s a certain type of positivity that arises during this time. Nationally, there’s a positivity surrounding the women’s team, being ranked No. 18 in the country in The Associated Press Top 25 poll.

“Nobody ever remembers preseason polls,” Bruno said. “We play for reviews not previews.”

On the men’s side, there was plenty of optimism from

the group. Purnell said he’s made inroads with recruiting athletes locally, pointing to the nine of 15 players on the roster from the Chicago area. The program is also looking forward to the new arena being built for the 2016-17 season, which should help recruiting even more.

But realistically, this is year five of a seven-year contract that Purnell was given, with an average of $2.28 million per year, according to DePaul’s 2012 IRS 990. While nine players are from the Chicago area, DePaul has one lone freshman, a walk-on in Joe Hanel.

The team has promising young players in Garrett and Tommy Hamilton while also having a series of athletic players that are transfers, but it’s been almost 11 years since DePaul last made the NCAA tournament (2003-04).

Despite not much change in the past few years, Purnell said he doesn’t feel any added pressure for this upcoming season.

“I’m feeling excited,” Purnell said. “There’s a certain amount of pressure that you add on yourself, but there’s no added pressure more than any other year. I’m really excited about the possibilities of the things we think we can do.”

CHANISE JENKINS

MEGAN ROGOWSKI

JESSICA JANUARY

Chanise Jenkins was DePaul’s most efficent distributor last season, having a 2.6 assist-turnover ratio — second best in the Big East. Jenkins had 187 assists to just 72 turnovers.

Megan Rogowoski is one of DePaul’s best shooters of all time. Rogowski set the record for most 3-pointers in a season with 114.

Jessica January has all the makings of the next great DePaul guard. As a freshman, she logged 23.4 minutes per game and thrived next to Hrynko and Jenkins in the back court.

Top Guards

A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY

Under head coach Doug Bruno, the Blue Demons have made 12 straight NCAA tournament appearances, including two trips to the Sweet Sixteen since 2011.

ABOUT THAT REBUILD

BRITTANY HRYNKO

It’s been 11 years since the men’s eam made the NCAA tournament (2003-04).

(Last season) showed us what we’re able to accomplish, and what we have to do to get there. Me and Chanise wanting to be leaders to help our teammates get better was huge (last year). We look forward to being in that role again

Brittany Hrynko

PHOTOS GRANT MYATT | THE DEPAULIA


6 | Basetball Preview. Nov. 10, 2014.

Chanise Jenkins, Jr.

Meghan Waldron, Fr.

Centresse McGee, Sr. Mart’e Grays, Fr.

Ashton Millender, Fr. ShaKeya Graves, So.Brooke Schulte, So.

Jessica January, So.

Doug Bruno

Brittany Hrynko, Sr. Megan Rogowski, Sr. Megan Podkowa, Jr. Brandi Harvey-Carr, So.

Women’sFull CourtCoverage

PGSTARTING

LINEUP

DEPTHCHART

HC

83.571.645%

SG SF PF CPts 10.7Reb 4.7Ast 5.2

29th season at DePaul560-301 record

19 NCAA Tournaments




LAST SEASON’S TEAM AVERAGES

Points Per Game

Opp. Points Per Game

Field Goal Percentage

(Projected)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS


Redshirt junior guard Chanise Jenkins was second on the team in assists last season with 5.2 per game.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE 2014-15 ROSTER

The strength of DePaul women’s basketball team is the sheer number of quality guards the team has. Senior Brittany Hrynko and redshirt junior Chanise Jenkins have developed a repertoire that makes them one of the best back courts in the nation.

Sophomore Jessica January provides defensive energy to mesh with Jenkins and Hrynko. She accounted for roughly 13 percent of DePaul’s steals per game as a freshman.

Sophomores Brooke Schulte and ShaKeya, who played sparsely last year, also look to gain more minutes. The Blue Demons are a small team, and their wing players also fit in the back court.

Lacking the size for traditional wing players, the Blue Demons rely on guards to play on the wing.

Senior Megan Rogowski is DePaul’s deadliest shooter from beyond the arc — hitting 45 percent of her 3-pointers last season. Rogowski, Jenkins, Hyrnko and Megan Podkowa are all 3-point threats among the perimeter. Head coach Doug Bruno often gives his players the “greenest light in America” to shoot if they’re open and DePaul has the weapons to capitilize.

New to the team this year is freshman Mart’e Grays, who is the type of longer athlete DePaul has lacked the last few years. At 6-foot-1, Grays provides size, but also has the athleticism to run the floor.

DePaul’s inside game will depend on if redshirt sophomore Brandi Harvey-Carr can make a leap in her second season. Carr is DePaul’s second tallest player at 6-foot-3. Bruno hopes she can develop into a viable option in the post to replace Jasmine Penny, who led the team with 15.8 points per game last year.

Playing next to her is Podkowa, who is a natural guard. Podkowa, however, has spent the majority of her time at the power forward spot and developed a solid array of post moves.

Reserves Elri Liebenberg and Meri Bennet Swanson likely won’t receive much playing time. Libenberg is DePaul’s tallest player at 6-foot-5, but her technique is raw.

Back Court BigsWing Players

Lauren Prochaska, Fr. Elri Liebenberg, Fr. Meri Bennet-Swanson, So.

Did you know? DePaul’s first game in the NCAA tournament last season set a record for most points scored in a tournament game, beating Oklahoma 104-100.

(Projected)


BREAKING OUT IS HARD TO DO

A thinner Tommy Hamilton could be a force

While she may not have always been in the starting five, sophomore guard Jessica January earned her role as a “starter” last year in the eyes of head coach Doug Bruno.

“I thought she had a really solid freshman year,” he said. “Any other year I think she would have won Big East Freshman of the Year.”

January lost out on Big East Freshman of the Year to Natalie Butler, who took her talents to No. 1 UConn after the season, if that’s any indication.

She was a “starter” in the coaches’ eyes with the idea that if she were to step onto the floor in place of a team member in the startng five, there would be little difference.

January will likely be one of the best bench options for the Blue Demons, coming off a season where she averaged nine points and 3.7 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game. Her sophomore season could be a breakout year coming in as a regular starter.

“She’s come back here and has just taken her game to another level of consistency,” Bruno said. “She was always good last year, but freshmen tend to be inconsistent.”

January said that coming into her second year is an entirely different experience than her first season.

“It’s like a whole different world,” she said. “Just feeling like I know where I am and being comfortable with school and my teammates around me really helps feeling more comfortable offensively, defensively and being out there in general.”

January was part of the starting five in both of the exhbition games for DePaul, averaging 10 points in 23.5 minutes between the two games. Among the 10 guards that DePaul has on its roster, January sets hersef apart with her ability to see the court well.

“She’s competitive and has great visual quickness which is what we recruit here,” Bruno said. “She’s also got great foot quickness and shoots the ball well.”

Coming into her sophomore season, January will bring the experience of already being a strong option off the bench as a freshman. With the lack of size on DePaul’s team this year, guard-heavy rotations are going to put January into a spot where she can come into games as either a starter or a bench option.

Her rebounding abilities also give her an edge as guard considering she led the team in four different games last year in rebounds, finishing with an average of 3.7 a game. She’s also a threat defensively, registering 53 steals last year.

Whether as a starter or continuing to be the first option off the bench, the more minutes January gets this season on account of having her first year down makes her a breakout candidate.


Point per game 9.0

Rebounds per game 3.7

Assists per gane 2.5

Steals per game 1.5

Field goal percentage 35.8

Minutes per game 23.1

Sacrifice. That’s the word a noticeably

slimmer Tommy Hamilton used to describe his journey in losing more than 30 pounds over the course of six months. The 6-foot-10 forward was 285 pounds at the end of last season in March.

Hamilton now weighs 253 pounds.

“I had to sacrifice a lot of things I would normally do,” H a m i l t o n said. “I just couldn’t do it. I was just w o r k i n g out really hard and e a t i n g better. I just wanted to get better.

Hamilton’s new weight is his lowest since his junior year of high school, as well as his lowest before a knee injury derailed his junior season. It’s been a long process for Hamilton to get back into peak shape, but it has also required an adjustment.

Hamilton said he’s trying to get used to being that light again. He’s learning to be more efficient.

“I can do more now and can

go longer,” Hamilton said. “I just want to get on the glass more offensively and defensively. I want to try and alter some shots at the rim since I can jump a little bit now.”

In his first season as a Blue Demon, Hamilton averaged 7.7 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game. Hamilton showed flashes of brilliance at times and he was rewarded for it. Hamilton was named to the All-Big East freshman team at the end of the season.

Yet, Hamilton went through a series of ups and downs. He struggled on the defensive end, and there were moments where he was relegated to the bench. H a m i l t o n started 26 of 32 games.

But Hamilton said

he has more confidence now. “I’ve got a year under my

belt,” he said. “I know what to expect. I’ve played in the Big East. This year, I’m going to be more confident and be a leader to my teammates. I’m going to try and lead by example.”

Head coach Oliver Purnell said he gave Hamilton credit for making up his mind to shed the weight.

“It’s one thing to say it. It’s

another thing to put the time in,” Purnell said. “He’s matured a lot. He’s got a ways to go, but it’s a mental test for him. If last year he wasn’t in it, that’d be it for him.

“But he’s showed that he’s just much more mature than he was last year,” Purnell said. “He has to keep moving forward.”

There’s also a support staff of those around Hamilton to help encourage him. Purnell and Hamilton both said that Hamilton’s parents were a factor in pushing Hamilton to keep up his diet.

John Wagle, who was promoted as DePaul’s strength and conditioning coach in June, played a large role in supporting Hamilton as well.

“From a coaching standpoint, we’re all there to encourage him,” Purnell said. “(Wagle and Hamilton) have connected, which I think is real good.”

“I had some good friends that motivated me the whole summer,” Hamilton said. “I’ve seen (Wagle) two or three times a week after practice depending on how hard we go. John’s been trying to tone me up and I’m trying to get to 250 before the season begins. ”

But ultimately, the work ethic came back to Hamilton.

“I think this upcoming year will be good for us,” Hamilton said. “I just wanted to come back and give my teammates my all. I think I owed them that.”

January has the potential to heat up

JESSICA JANUARY

By Ben GartlandAsst. Sports Editor

Point per game 7.7 Rebounds per game4.2

Blocks per gane

39.5 Field goal percentage

35.8 3-point field goal percentage

.625

Minutes per game24.6

Named to All-Big East Rookie Team

Led Big East rookies in rebounding

Named to All-Big East Freshman Team

Finished 8th in steals for the Big East

2013-14 STATSSophomore

TOMMY HAMILTON2013-14 STATS


Sophomore forward Tommy Hamilton is down more than 30 pounds for this season, going from 285 to 253.


DePaul sophomore Jessica January is a key part of DePaul’s guard rotation.

I can do more now and can go longer. I just want to get on the glass offensively and defensively.

Tommy Hamilton


Freshman Grays to provide size

BILLY’S FIGHT: Pride can be a funny thing. The pain

Billy Garrett Jr. felt in his knee on a bus ride to the charter plane for an away game in January of last season was a feeling that he hadn’t felt in nearly two years. He knew what was happening, but hoped the pain would subdue when he took off.

It didn’t. In the middle of the air, Garrett was

having a crisis of his sickle cell disease. It was then he told his father Billy Garrett Sr., and his head coach Oliver Purnell what was happening.

Garrett, a sophomore who was named Big East Rookie of the Year a year ago, missed two games because of that crisis, the term that’s used when sickle cell acts to cause extreme pain. The sophomore guard has sickle cell disease, a disease that mutates blood cells into a “sickle” shape to limit blood flow or clog vessels.

“I’ve had to come to terms having sickle cell,” Garrett said. “I didn’t want people to see that I have sickle cell and treat me differently. You’ve got to come to terms with it with your body. I wasn’t able to sustain the same energy in workouts like everybody else, particularly in the beginning. I’ve had to come to terms with that. It was a pride thing.

“I just didn’t want anyone to think it was a weakness,” he said. “It’s not a weakness. I had to realize that. It took me sometime to realize that.”

In January, Garrett spent time in two different hospitals during a span of four days for that crisis on the plane. Garrett, who went to the emergency room after the plane landed, said the first hospital prescribed too strong of a dosage, which led to an even worse case of dehydration and vomiting. Garrett then went to another hospital where he took more time to recover.

“I was so bad by that point. I had to stay there for three or four days,” Garrett said. “It’s like a continuous ache at its

worst. It’s just a bad, bad thing — it hurts. … New Jersey is probably the worst crisis I’ve ever had.”

To his knowledge, Garrett is the only athlete — college or professional — who has sickle cell. Garrett has the SC form of the disease, which is less severe than the

SS form. Garrett has had to work carefully

with the coaching staff to communicate any potential problems. He’s had to make “simple” adjustments that involve plenty of hydration and rest.

“We just pay attention with the

doctors, trainers and Bill to see how he’s doing,” DePaul head coach Oliver Purnell said. “It’s important he stays hydrated. We’re constantly listening to them to see how he’s feeling. I’m always concerned with all our guys, but he’s fine.”

Garrett’s first severe crisis with sickle cell came when he was 12 years old. At a summer basketball camp at the University of Iowa where his father coached at the time, Garrett got overheated and it ended up requiring a blood transfusion to his spleen. The crisis, Garrett said, was a “great learning experience” for him to figure what triggers an attack.

Garrett isn’t the only one who has had to make adjustments. DePaul head trainer Jeff Carrico has spent hours of researching sickle cell, putting together PowerPoint slides to now knowing the right hospitals to take Garrett to in case of a crisis on the road. At practices, Carrico always has a water bottle in hand to make sure Garrett stays hydrated in between drills.

Carrico said he is and isn’t surprised that Garrett has been able to play at such a high competitive level with the disease.

“He’s a very mature sophomore,” Carrico said. “He’s better at communicating when he starts to feel something. To have this disease, it takes a lot of preparation and knowing what you have to do. The main message from our doctors and me to him is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.”

Garrett said he is better at recognizing what he has to do to handle a crisis. His most recent episode was a month ago, but he said it was less severe than the others. Garrett rested two days, took fluids and medication before he was back to practice.

Even though he’s always on watch, Garrett said he isn’t worried about having another crisis.

“College is more strenuous, so I have to take care of my body,” Garrett said. “Basketball was the most important thing for me. In order for me to succeed as a basketball player, I can’t do that without letting them know what’s going on.”

Imagine if right after you graduated high school your first class in college was advanced biochemistry with one of the toughest teachers on campus. That is what freshman forward Mart’e Grays will be experiencing when she steps on the floor against No. 5 Texas A&M at McGrath-Phillips Arena at 6:30 p.m on Nov. 14.

But if her skills are any indication, Grays will be up for the test.

Grays, who finished sixth in the Miss Basketball Michigan race, is looking forward to making an impact at DePaul this season. The 6-foot-3 forward, from Detroit’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School, is a versatile forward who has a combination of skill and athleticism that will make her hard to stop. Coach Doug Bruno tried recruiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School student for a while, and was able to get their top

player from a team that reached the regional final.

In Grays, Bruno recruited a player who fits the type of athlete who excels in his system. Grays has the ability to fit in perfectly to run fast breaks and can step out of the perimeter to shoot 3-pointers if left open.

However, Grays is also unique in that she can use her size to her advantage — something that DePaul has lacked in the last few years outside of graduated Jasmine Penny. She has an array of post up moves and she models her game after her favorite player, Kevin Durant.

“I love the school, and I love Coach Bruno,” Grays said. “Academically, it was the best out of all my other schools.”

Coming to DePaul gave her a strong support system that she can learn from, and will later give her the ability to teach other players like she is being taught now by the older players. Being a young member on a winning team, Grays is very humble when it comes to what happens in the

locker room.“I just sit back, watch, and

learn,” Grays said. “Whatever (my teammates) tell me to do, I do.”

Even though Grays is the sort of athlete who could help boost DePaul, Grays’ playing time isn’t guaranteed. Jessica January was in a similar situation as Grays last year. January was a highly recruited freshman who received playing time.

“Coach Bruno does not give any promises to players if you play hard you are going to play,” January said. “(Grays) has been doing extremely well without advice on her own. The thing for freshmen is that they need experience, and you can only gain that by playing.”

Though Grays has drawn rave reviews coming out of high school, Bruno said Grays still has to get adjusted to the college level.

“She is very competitive on the offensive side of the ball, but we have to get her equally competitive on the defense side,” Bruno said. “What makes freshmen play like freshmen is consistency or lack of

consistency.”Yet, Grays is in a position

to prove herself early. She was in the starting lineup during an exhibition game against St. Xavier, and it looks like she will get a lot of playing time this season for the Blue Demons. With three other forwards on the roster, Grays’ size and speed will be needed. With the potential of Bruno starting three guards and rotating the four

forwards, Grays has to be able to make an impact immediately.

Grays’ season is going to be filled with challenges and learning experiences. The road games against Big East rivals will be a determining factor on how she can handle pressure.

“I don’t get nervous,” Grays said. “I don’t look in the stands. I just worry about the game.”

By Christian JonesContributing Writer


Freshman Mart’e Grays was ranked the 91st-best player in the 2014 recruiting class by ESPN.



Sophomore guard Billy Garrett Jr. fights off a Lewis defender during an exhibition game Nov. 6 at McGrath-Phillips Arena. Garrett has sickle cell disease, which can limit blood flow and clog vessels. Garrett missed two games with a crisis last season.

Sophomore Billy Garrett Jr. lives with sickle cell disease

2014-15 basketball preview

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