SportsLine.com/Lindy's Basketball
2000 Season Preview
Nov. 6, 2000

If Chicago is as much a mother lode of high school hoops talent as it is of deep-dish pizza, one would never know it from combing through the DePaul basketball archives.

For the majority of Joey Meyer's rocky 12-year stay as coach, the best Chicago area talent (Nick Anderson, Michael Finley and Antoine Walker just to name a few) gravitated elsewhere instead of staying home.

In 1998, an ambitious veteran coach, Pat Kennedy, finally unclogged the rich pipeline when he persuaded Quentin Richardson, Lance Williams and Bobby Simmons to stay and attend college in the Windy City. In all, Kennedy has signed five Chicago Public League players over the last three years.

That's a good thing because Williams and Simmons are the two players on whom Kennedy is relying most to break DePaul's unsavory habit of winning big in the regular season before self-destructing in the postseason. Two years ago the Blue Demons won 18 games only to bow to California at home in the NIT. The Blue Demons followed that last season by winning 21 games, their best in 11 years, before losing to Kansas in the first round of the NCAAs despite leading by six points with less than a minute remaining.

Now, year four of Kennedy's rebuilding project begins without Richardson, who felt the pull of the NBA a little too strong to resist a second time. Yet three solid starters return and, thanks to another outstanding recruiting class, the Blue Demons have one of the country's premier frontlines.

Predicted finish

American Division 1. DePaul 2. Cincinnati 3. UNC-Charlotte 4. Marquette 5. Saint Louis 6. Louisville National Division 1. Memphis 2. South Florida 3. Southern Miss 4. UAB 5. Houston 6. Tulane

Although no one in the program will say it, Richardson's departure may prove to be a blessing. Last year, the sophomore swingman was bombarded by agents and questions about his future and it appeared to affect his play. Although he averaged a double-double in Conference USA play, his outings were inconsistent and DePaul never truly gained its stride. The Blue Demons will also miss the toughness of Paul McPherson, who turned pro after his junior year, and the outside shooting of Kerry Hartfield.

Enter Williams and Simmons.

In Williams, DePaul has one of the best low-post scorers in the country. He should be better as a junior after being hindered most of last season by a broken foot. Simmons, on the other hand, has gone from being overrated to underrated. He had an uneven freshman season but improved as a sophomore while averaging 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds.

Playing alongside Williams and Simmons will be 6-11 sophomore Steven Hunter, a wisp of a center who needs to gain weight but is an outstanding shot-blocker, and freshman sensation Andre Brown, who averaged 23 points and 13 boards for Chicago Leo last year. Jon Oden, a 6-8 sophomore who sat out last season to concentrate on his academics, is vastly underrated and will enliven the Blue Demons' practices.

As always, the great unknown is the team's outside shooting. Richardson and Hartfield hoisted 325 3-pointers and Simmons was the next highest with 89. Shooting is not the forte of Imari Sawyer, but he was schooled from birth on how to run a team. The 6-2 freshman point guard from Chicago Martin Luther King is clearly the best playmaker DePaul has signed since Rod Strickland 15 years ago.

Sawyer will battle leather-tough junior Rashon Burno for the point guard slot, but Kennedy may elect to play the two together to create a blur of a backcourt. George Baker, a 6-3 sophomore, might get caught in the backcourt logjam, although his minutes should increase from a year ago.

Ultimately, though, the heart and soul of this team are Williams and Simmons, who must lead DePaul as juniors. Visits by Kansas and UCLA along with trips to Florida and Missouri will make their jobs more difficult as will league foe Cincinnati, which is loaded with unproven talent.

Yet, until further notice, DePaul is the toast of Conference USA.

Honors candidates

Lance Williams, Bobby Simmons and Imari Sawyer. Williams and Simmons should establish themselves on a national level, while Sawyer is one of the better freshman in C-USA.

Keep an eye on

Sophomore Jon Oden sat out last year to concentrate on his academics, but he's good enough to garner minutes along the frontline.

Key players

(*Returning starter; 1999-2000 avg.)

• F Lance Williams* 6-9, 250, Jr. - When healthy, Williams is terror in the low post (6.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
• SF Bobby Simmons 6-7, 210, Jr. Versatile performer can also play in the backcourt (13.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
• PF Eric Batchelor 6-7, 210, Jr. - JC transfer who should provide much-needed power
• PG Imari Sawyer 6-2, 170, Fr. - Best point guard in program since Rod Strickland
• C Steven Hunter 7-0, 215, So. - Good shot-blocker (8.5 ppg, 56 blocks)
• PG Rashon Burno 5-7, 175, Jr. Cerebral playmaker (6.7 ppg, 4.6 apg)
• PF Jon Oden 6-8, 215 So. Fundamentally sound
• PG George Baker 6-3, 190 So. Should see more minutes this season (2.3 ppg)
• PF Andre Brown 6-7, 210 Fr. One of nation's top freshmen, recently cleared to play.

Key losses

• Kerry Hartfield, G, 6-1, 185 (6.4 ppg, 53 assists)
• Paul McPherson, SG-SF, 6-4, 210 (11.2 ppg., 4.8 rpg.)
• Quentin Richardson, SG-SF, 6-6, 225 (17.0 ppg., 9.8 rpg)

Lindy's College Basketball Annual is available at newsstands, or can be ordered at www.lindyssports.com, or by calling 1-205-871-1182.

Schedule