Colors Royal Blue and Scarlet Away Alternate Division Division I (NCAA) | Nickname Blue Demons Home Away Mascot DIBS | |
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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 competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The current 2016–17 season is expected to be the last for the Blue Demons at Allstate Arena; DePaul's men's and women's teams will move to Wintrust Arena, now under construction at the McCormick Place convention center on Chicago's Near South Side.
Contents
- History
- NCAA tournament results
- NIT results
- Retired jerseys
- Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
- National Player of the Year
- National Coach of the Year
- Professional players
- References
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 Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, 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 2005–2006 season, and joined the "new" Big East in 2013.
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.
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.
* 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.
Retired jerseys
Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
National Player of the Year
National Coach of the Year
Professional players
The following former DePaul Blue Demons have played in the NBA or original ABA:
The following former DePaul Blue Demons have played professionally in leagues outside of the United States of America.