DePaul basketball has entered a dry spell, winless in their last five, including a 71-59 loss to Georgetown Monday night. Oliver Purnell, the head coach, stressed his team needs to begin focusing on their next opponent, the Creighton Blue Jays.
“We have got to look at that as an opportunity to do something special in the midst of a tough spell here,” Purnell said.
Beating Doug McDermott on his home floor will not be an easy task, as he is averaging an even 25 points per game.
However, here comes a perfect opportunity for three of DePaul’s freshmen to learn how to keep their composure and gain leadership during a tough season.
Billy Garrett Jr., Tommy Hamilton IV and R.J Curington have all experienced struggles in their first year. Along with their inconsistencies, Brandon Young, a senior guard, was benched in the second half against Xavier for leadership reasons, according to Purnell; Cleveland Melvin, a senior forward, has been suspended indefinitely. Thus, these talented freshmen haven’t had the best guidance from their senior teammates.
DePaul basketball has eight remaining games; if the Blue Demons want to make any improvement, it’s imperative Garrett, Hamilton, and Curington all show they can step up down the stretch in close games. Yet, they don’t necessarily need to score big buckets in the final minutes.
For DePaul basketball’s future to be bright, these young guns must show Purnell they have poise and are able to spread it around within their teammates. On Monday night, the Hoyas displayed a perfect example. Markel Starks, Georgetown’s senior point guard, held his team together with some big threes in the first half to keep the score close. Not only was Starks shooting well, he was communicating with his crew. In the end, Georgetown took the momentum Starks brought and played a terrific second half.
If Purnell can find some maturity within the three prized freshmen, maybe DePaul basketball will not only win more Big East games next year, but also find the energy and passion to beat McDermott and company on the road this Friday.