Know Your Opponent: DePaul Blue Demons edition

Tonight at 7 on ESPN regional tv and ESPN 360, the 15-11, 6-8 Bearcats host the 8-18, 1-13 DePaul Blue Demons. DePaul is the last place team in the Big East, and losing to them is unacceptable. This is a game that the Bearcats can't give away if they expect to have any chance of making the NCAA Tournament. That's still a possibility due to the Bearcats schedule, but it doesn't look promising. There's a chance that the Bearcats could finish 4-0 to cap the season. I'm not that optimistic, but there is no harm in trying to be. The only way to get there, is by winning the first game. And that game is tonight. If the Bearcats were to lose to DePaul, who's only Big East win was against Marquette in Chicago, the drum beat for Mick Cronin to go would get really loud. DePaul won the last meeting between the teams in the Big East tournament, after DePaul won 0 conference games in the regular season. Mick's late season record has been under fire as the losses have mounted, and losing this one would be the second worse loss of that era behind the previously mentioned DePaul game. We know we have to win tonight. Let's see how the teams stack up against one another.

All stats taken from KenPom.com, the Polls, and the school's sites. RPI from RealTimeRPI.com

For reference, there are 347 teams in the NCAA

Record: 15-11, 6-8

KenPom Rank: 61

RPI:  56

AP/USA Today Rank: NR

Strength of Schedule (KenPom/RealTime): 25/16

Tempo: 66 (243)

Offensive Ratings (Rank)

Points Per Game: 69.8

Efficiency: 106.1 (103)

Effective FG%: 49.2 (151)

Turnover %: 20.2 (155)

Off. Rebound %: 38.1 (27)

FTA/FGA: 32 (301)

3%: 29.6 (319)

2%: 51.6 (48)

FT%: 62.5 (327)

Point Distribution (% of total points)

3: 24.8 (223)

2: 58.3 (31)

FT: 16.9 (329)

Defensive Ratings (Rank)

Points Per Game: 65.5

Efficiency: 92.4 (46)

Effective FG%: 46.1 (61)

Turnover %: 17.8 (313)

Off. Rebound %: 28.6 (29)

FTA/FGA: 35.8 (135)

3%: 33 (124)

2%: 44.4 (48)

Block %: 8.8 (171)

Steal %: 8.2 (293)

Point Distribution (% of total points)

3: 28.4 (122)

2: 50.8 (214)

FT: 20.9 (183) 

Statistical Leaders

Points (top 3): Deonta Vaughn 11.4 Lance Stephenson 11.2 Yancy Gates 10.2

Rebounds (top 3): Yancy Gates 6.2 Lance Stephenson 4.8 Rashad Bishop 4.7

Assists (top 2): Deonta Vaughn 3.6 Lance Stephenson 2.3 

Blocks: Yancy Gates 1

Record: 8-18, 1-13

KenPom Rank: 167

RPI: 187

AP/USA Today Rank: NR

Strength of Schedule (KenPom/RealTime): 18/30

Tempo: 62. (323)

Offensive Ratings (Rank)

Points Per Game: 60.4

Efficiency: 98.8 (196)

Effective FG%: 45 (312)

Turnover %: 17.7 (37)

Off. Rebound %: 30.8 (243)

FTA/FGA: 31.6 (307)

3%: 31.2 (284)

2%: 44.2 (289)

FT%: 57.1 (347)

Point Distribution (% of total points)

3: 27.5 (158)

2: 55.8 (74)

FT: 16.7 (333)

Defensive Ratings (Rank)

Points Per Game: 66

Efficiency: 98.3 (124)

Effective FG%: 48.8 (163)

Turnover %: 20 (206)

Off. Rebound %: 36.7 (314)

FTA/FGA: 38.7 (201)

3%: 35.3 (231)

2%: 46.8 (133)

Block %: 9.2 (149)

Steal %: 12.1 (36)

Point Distribution (% of total points)

3: 27.8 (147)

2: 50.7 (220) 

FT: 21.5 (142)

Statistical Leaders

Points (top 3): Will Walker 16.3 Mac Koshwal 15.1 Mike Stovall 6.7

Rebounds (top 3): Mac Koshwal 9.9 Eric Wallace 4.9 Will Walker 3 Devin Hill 3

Assists (top 2): Jeremiah Kelly 2.7 Will Walker 2.6

Blocks: Eric Wallace 1 Devin Hill 1

DePaul has a couple of good players in Koshwal and Walker. Koshwal has only played 14 games this season, missing time early, and some at the beginning of Big East play. They are pretty much like UC with their poor 3 point shooting and really poor free throw shooting. The free throw shooting shouldn't be a problem for either team, because neither goes to the line that much. So this will probably be a 40 free throw game since I mentioned that. DePaul gets a lot of steals, and their defense is solid for a bad team. Their offense is what really hampers them. The Bearcats need to clamp on the defense hard and tight tonight, because with how our offense sputters, we need do take advantage of every weakness. Walker will probably be matched up with Larry Davis, who I expect to start. Maybe Bishop will see some time on him, but I don't think so. If you are anything like me, you will hate the point guard Michael Bizoukas. I've seen DePaul play a couple times, and I really don't like his game. Hopefully he gets in foul trouble and rides the pine. 

This should be a game that UC wins. I am looking for good efforts from Larry Davis, Dion Dixon, and Lance Stephenson. I expect good efforts from Deonta Vaughn, Rashad Bishop and Yancy Gates. I want to see Bishop play another good game after his solid effort against Marquette. I hope that Lance gets it going again and plays well. His announcement that he's leaning to stay next year says nothing (as C. Trent Rosecrans will tell you) but he's right in knowing that he needs to be consistent. I think he bounces back with a good effort. I think UC bounces back with a good effort. We need this, and I think we take this. 

Prediction: Cincinnati 65 DePaul 49