The Blue Demons are 9-0 for the first time since the 1986-87 season
DePaul endured 11 straight losing seasons before last season, hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2004 and is generally recognized as the biggest punchline in the sport. If you want to make a music joke, you include a Nickelback reference. If you want to make a college basketball joke, you tie it to DePaul. Which is why Wednesday was so cool.
The Blue Demons entered their showdown with Texas Tech, last season's national runner-up, undefeated and with some buzz -- evidence being that they received 18 points in this week's AP Top 25 poll thanks to upsets of Iowa and Minnesota. So Wednesday provided an opportunity to win as an underdog again.
In dramatic fashion, DePaul did it. Final score: DePaul 65, Texas Tech 60 in OT.
So, just like that, the Blue Demons are surprisingly 9-0 for the first time since the 1986-87 season. And, looking at the schedule, they could reasonably be 13-0 when they host Seton Hall on Dec. 30. What a story. And, yes, I know Texas Tech had just lost to Iowa and Creighton -- and that the Red Raiders' star freshman, Jahmi'us Ramsey, is sidelined with a hamstring injury. But let's not let those little details ruin this because it's much more fun to just focus on the fact that DePaul is 9-0 with victories over two top-40 KenPom teams, one of which (Texas Tech) was ranked 13th in the preseason AP poll.
Again, what a story.
The Blue Demons are No. 25 in Thursday's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. Louisville, which will play Pitt on Friday, remains No. 1 for the ninth consecutive morning.
Thursday's Top 25 And 1
12. Seton Hall (6-2) - Myles Powell scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half of Friday's 84-76 win over Iowa State. The Pirates' two losses are to Michigan State and Oregon.
22. Villanova (6-2) - Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 27 points in Wednesday's 80-69 victory over Penn. The Wildcats' two losses are to Ohio State and Baylor.
24. Butler (8-0) - Kamar Baldwin took 16 shots, made 11 and scored 31 points in Tuesday's 67-58 victory at Ole Miss. Butler shot 47.1% from 3-point range in the win.
25. DePaul (9-0) - Jalen Coleman-Lands scored eight points in overtime, and finished with 18, in Wednesday's 65-60 victory over Texas Tech. The Blue Demons own two wins over top-40 KenPom teams.
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