2015-16 Preview #4: DePaul

[R Jay]

I'm putting this preview up a little early and might put up a preview or two more in the next week or so because I'm starting a new job in three weeks and am unsure of how much time I will have to prepare these.

The next team I'm previewing is the first of two teams with a new head coach heading into 2015-16: the DePaul Blue Demons.

DePaul Blue Demons (12-20 overall, 6-12 Big East)
Tied for Seventh Place in Regular Season play, 7 Seed in Big East Tournament
No Post-Season Tournament

Losses:
F Jamee Crockett (graduated) - 32 GP, 31.0 MPG, 11.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.3 APG
F/C Greg Sequele (graduated) - 5 GP, 4.4 MPG, 0.0 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.0 APG
C Forrest Robinson (graduated) - 32 GP, 19.8 MPG, 6.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.3 APG
G Durrell McDonald (transferred) - 32 GP, 23.9 MPG, 4.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.3 APG

Returnees:
G Aaron Simpson (Senior) - 32 GP, 17.0 MPG, 4.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.1 APG
F Myke Henry (Senior) - 32 GP, 28.1 MPG, 12.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.2 APG
F Rashaun Stimage (Senior) - 17 GP, 14.7 MPG, 4.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.0 APG
G David Molinari (Senior -- walk-on) - 10 GP, 1.4 MPG, 0.2 PPG, 0.1 RPG, 0.2 APG
G Cory Dolins (Senior -- walk-on) - 9 GP, 1.1 MPG, 0.3 PPG, 0.2 RPG, 0.1 APG
C Peter Ryckbosch (Senior -- walk-on) - 0 GP, 0.0 MPG, 0.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG
G Billy Garrett Jr. (Junior) - 32 GP, 30.0 MPG, 12.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.9 APG
G Darrick Wood (Junior) - 27 GP, 13.5 MPG, 4.3 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.1 APG
G R.J. Curington (Junior) - 21 GP, 5.9 MPG, 2.5 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.2 APG
C Tommy Hamilton IV (Junior) - 30 GP, 25.8 MPG, 10.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.0 APG
G Joe Hanel (Sophomore -- walk-on) - 15 GP, 4.0 MPG, 0.7 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.1 APG

Additions:

Recruits:
F Elijah Cain (Freshman) - 3 Star, NR on Scout, 3 Star, NR on Rivals, 3 Star, #44 SF on ESPN
F Develle Phillips (Freshman) - 3 Star, NR on Scout, 3 Star, NR on Rivals, 3 Star, #58 PF on ESPN
F/C Oumar Barry (Freshman) - 3 Star, NR on Scout, 2 Star, NR on Rivals, 3 Star, #57 C on ESPN
F Fred Scott (Freshman) - NR on Scout, Rivals, nor ESPN

Storylines:
Welcome home Coach Leitao. Your job is to turn around a team that lost its last 8 and 10 of its last 11. Gone are Crockett, Sequele, and Robinson to graduation and Durrell McDonald to transfer. DePaul returns 7 scholarship players from last year’s squad, however, including the electric Billy Garrett Jr. Is that a good thing, though? Garrett Jr. is by all definitions a stud, but can the returnees step up and give him some help? They also add Elijah Cain, Develle Phillips, Oumar Barry, and Fred Scott as freshmen.

Questions:
Can Leitao install any semblance of defense?
How will Billy Garrett Jr. add on to his already incredible career at DePaul?
Can Tommy Hamilton IV improve on the totality of his game?
Can Rashaun Stimage get and stay healthy?
How will Myke Henry perform in his final year at DePaul?
What will Darrick Wood, R.J. Curington, Aaron Simpson provide in their likely larger roles this season?
Will any of the freshmen contribute this year?

[OmahaGuy]

I fully expect the Blue Demons to take a step forward this year. They have good talent (a big 3 in BGJr/TH4/Henry), they just were so poorly coached under Purnell.

[stever20]

Looking at the OOC schedule, it's pretty solid....
@ Penn St in the Gavitt Games...
exempt tourney is the Paradise Jam
South Carolina 1st game is a huge game... win and they get Florida St in the 2nd round. lose, and it's Hofstra. 3rd game if they win both should be vs Tulsa which could be huge come tourney time as Tulsa figures to be at least bubble.
Also @ Stanford, and home games with Northwestern and GW

really not a bad schedule at all.