DePaul falls flat against Marquette, heads into Big East Tournament below .500

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Jack Dombro

DePaul players huddle together in a Feb. 25 loss to UConn at Wintrust Arena.

DePaul concluded their 2022-23 regular season Monday night at Marquette, looking to finish above .500, but finished with a losing record for the first time since 1997-98. 

Marquette handed the Demons a 98-80 loss, giving DePaul a 15-16 overall record to wrap up an unusual season for head coach Doug Bruno. Even with one of the best all-around players in the country in sophomore Aneesah Morrow, DePaul seemed to struggle to find its footing. 

Following the team’s near upset on Saturday, Feb. 25, against UConn, head coach Doug Bruno and his squad had a quick turnaround for the away game on Monday. 

Having dealt with injuries from the start, the season has been a rollercoaster for DePaul, as chemistry issues took a while for the women to get going. 

Monday’s loss to the Golden Eagles was an example of the subpar defense DePaul has played all season. Ranked last in opponents points per game in the Big East at 71, the Blue Demons never showed consistency offensively to make up for the points allowed. 

As things now shift for the Big East Tournament in Uncasville, Connecticut, Bruno reiterated that there is still time to turn the season around. 

DePaul will play at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, March 3, as the No. 7 seed. The team’s first round matchup at 12:30 p.m. will be against Providence. 

This season against the Lady Friars, DePaul is 2-0, with its most recent victory coming on Feb. 18, where the Demons won 86-64. 

The Blue Demons will be led by Morrow and junior Darrione Rogers, who have combined for 102-points in the two matchups against the Friars this season. 

In both matchups DePaul’s defense found success, holding Providence below 70 points. 

If the Blue Demons advance past Providence, the team will play the No. 2 seed Villanova for the third time this season. That potential matchup is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 4.