DePaul mourns, prepares for Tulsa
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- They will attend the Hall of Fame coach's wake. Then, they will attempt to make history on the basketball court named after the man and his wife.
DAY FOR DEPAUL |
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| CHICAGO -- Today could be an emotional day for the DePaul Blue Demons, who were planning to accompany their coach to the wake of DePaul legend Ray Meyer at 1 p.m. local time this afternoon at nearby St. Vincent's.
Much like DePaul's celebration following Saturday's first-round win, the day will likely start somber and subdued. But if they have things their way, the Blue Demons will end it the way Meyer would have wanted -- celebrating a milestone win. With a victory against 12-seeded Tulsa tonight (ESPN2, 9 ET), fourth-seeded DePaul would earn its first trip to the Sweet 16. But the pressure's on. Not only are DePaul fans looking for something to cheer about after the sad news of Meyer's death Friday, but the Blue Demons, as the lower seed and because they have a homecourt advantage playing just 15 miles away from campus, are a heavy favorite against Tulsa, which is playing in its first NCAA Tournament. The Golden Hurricane came out tough Saturday and advanced despite a subpar day from Tulsa star Jillian Robbins, who was reported to be suffering from a cold. Whether the forward is healthy will be a huge factor tonight, especially against DePaul's Khara Smith. Both players are All-American candidates who average double-double and make for an interesting matchup inside. Robbins, the C-USA player of the year, is a lanky 6-foot-1 junior. Smith, an All-Big East center, is physically stronger and bigger, and deceivingly agile for her frame. She continues to be hampered by plantar fasciitis in her feet, however. This should be a great game, with good athletes and good scorers on both side from inside and out. -- ESPN's Beth Mowins |
Monday figures to be difficult for the DePaul women's basketball team on several levels.
The fourth-seeded Blue Demons will attempt to reach the NCAA's round of 16 for the first time, and 12th-seeded Tulsa will do all it can to stop them in the second round of the San Antonio Regional. But before they take the court, the DePaul players will pay their respects to Ray Meyer, the longtime men's basketball coach and DePaul icon who died Friday at the age of 92.
"There are things that are more important than just a basketball game, and there's no way our team wouldn't go to that wake,'' coach Doug Bruno, who played for Meyer from 1969-73, said Sunday.
Many of the players were born after Meyer retired in 1984, but they work out in the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, where they see a mural of him each time they enter.
They met him at games and banquets. They knew him.
"That's not always something you can say about a person who's got buildings named after them and courts named after them,'' Bruno said.
Several players lost relatives during the season, making it easier for them to empathize when their coach lost his mentor.
"My team impressed me again in their ability to comprehend and understand what I was going through,'' Bruno said.
Bruno had a piece of paper with the message "Thanks Coach Ray'' hanging from his left pocket during Saturday's 68-43 opening-round rout of Liberty. Meyer probably would have appreciated the Blue Demons' effort.
DePaul (26-6), which normally plays on campus, breezed to a 21-5 lead and never looked back.
Forward Khara Smith scored 18 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and started fast break after fast break with baseball-style passes.
"We just want to be able to keep our season going as long as possible, especially with this being my last one,'' the senior said. ``I just want to keep playing and winning and go as far as possible. We just want to do what we can do with DePaul being successful as a program.''
They don't want to repeat last season's disappointment, when they earned what was the program's highest seed (fifth) and beat Virginia Tech by one before losing by nine to Liberty.
The Blue Demons were tied for 13th in this year's final AP poll and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time. Now, they meet a Tulsa team (26-5) that knocked off traditional power North Carolina State in its first-ever NCAA game.
Forward Megan Moody scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Golden Hurricane may need another effort like that with Conference USA Player of the Year Jillian Robbins experiencing flu-like symptoms. The junior had 10 points and 12 rebounds against NC State and is expected to play against DePaul.
"That's the plan,'' coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson said.
Either way, Tulsa faces a tough task.
"We just have to all be on the same page out on the court, knowing DePaul is a very good transition team,'' said Golden Hurricane forward Megan Moody, who scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. "They push the ball, they get the rebound and they throw that long-court pass for an easy layup.''
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
