Rosemont Mayor Donald E. Stephens remembers praying for acts to fill the new arena he was building.

Here Rosemont was spending $19 million to build a 19,000-seat entertainment facility, and there was nothing booked to provide entertainment.

Then one day Stephens was startled when a Catholic priest walked into the mayor's office. The priest said he represented DePaul University athletics and that the men's basketball team needed a place to play some of its games.

Quentin Richardson, DePaul's freshman phenom last year, will again lead the Blue Demons when they take to the Allstate Arena court this autumn.

Talk about divine intervention.

"He came from nowhere, and suddenly, we had a long-term agreement," Stephens said. "It has grown to be a wonderful relationship that continues today."

The DePaul Blue Demons basketball team was there when the Rosemont Horizon opened in 1980. And the team is there today as the stadium enters the new millennium as the Allstate Arena.

Depaul's tenure at the arena might best be described as the best of times and the worst of times.

There have been some great teams, especially in the early days - nationally ranked teams that filled the seats and played deep into the NCAA tournament.

Then there have been the lean years, especially of late, marked by disappointment, losing records and small crowds.

But like any relationship which has its ups and downs, DePaul is hopeful about its future in Allstate Arena, entering the new season with a young, talented team that could put the Blue Demons back in the spotlight for years.

"We're poised to be a national contender in men's basketball, and we're excited about playing in the new arena," said DePaul Athletic Director Bill Bradshaw. "The timing of the renovations and the upswing with our team couldn't be better."

Bradshaw said he likes the improvements to Allstate Arena, such as the wider, upholstered seats on the lower level, the improved sight lines, and the wider aisles and lobbies.

"There should be good attendance at our games this year and the improvements will add to fan enjoyment and comfort," Bradshaw said.

DePaul students and alumni will be treated to a new team logo that will be unveiled on Oct. 15. And that logo will be emblazoned on the court at Allstate Arena.

But there will be much more for Blue Demon fans to see on the court this year. Returning is an exciting basketball team that finished 18-13 and made it to the second round of the NIT.

The Blue Demons are led by Quentin Richardson, who was the team's leading scorer, averaging 18.9 points, and leading rebounder with 10.5 boards a game. He was named National Freshman of the Year by the United Basketball Writers Association, The Sporting News and Basketball News.

Richardson, a graduate of Chicago's Whitney Young High School, turned down a chance to be drafted by the NBA this year so he could return for his sophomore year. He will be joined by two other young stars, sophomores Lance Williams and Bobby Simmons.

"Quentin is the marquee player, but he also has a lot of support," Bradshaw said. "We should have a young, exciting team for years to come."

The current team brings back memories of some of the great Blue Demon teams of the late '70s and early '80s, lead by legendary coach Ray Meyer. Those were the teams of Mark Aguire, Terry Cummings and Kenny Patterson, to name a few, teams that were routinely nationally ranked and in the NCAA tournament.

Meyer, 85, who is still active running his summer basketball camp in Wisconsin, said he has many fond memories of playing in the arena in Rosemont.

"It's a wonderful place to play because the fans are so close to the action," Meyer said. "With the improvements they're making to the seating and sight lines, it should be even more enjoyable for the fans."

Because he coached the Blue Demons so many years, the dates and scores are lost on Meyer, but among his memories of games at the arena:

• An overtime victory against Northwestern in a NIT game. "Northwestern was winning the whole game. We tied it and sent it into overtime when Kenny Patterson, in one motion, received a pass and threw in a 25-footer," Meyer said. "What was so great about that game was that the DePaul and Northwestern fans were so gracious. They cheered for every great play, no matter which team made it."

• A one-point victory over Louisville in which Tom Kleinschmidt was fouled at the buzzer while hitting a three-pointer, then canned the free throw for the win.

• A heartbreaking loss to UCLA in which a nationally ranked team led by Mark Aguire was pressed near the end and was whistled for a 10-second violation. "That was a tough one. I remember how upset Mark was after the game," Meyer said.

The current DePaul team also has had some great games in the arena, Bradshaw said. Last year alone, there was the 61-60 upset over nationally-ranked Cincinnati, and the 69-64 win over Northwestern in the NIT, he said.

This year, the Blue Demons will play up to a dozen game in the Allstate Arena, and Bradshaw expects more thrilling finishes, hopefully in front of a full house.

"We let things slide a while. But the folks in Rosemont have stayed with us through thick and thin," Bradshaw said. "It will be nice to be able to deliver for them again and fill the seats."