Scouting Saturday's local college basketball games
DePaul (1-0) at UIC (1-1)
When: 7 p.m. at the UIC Pavilion
TV: WYIN Channel 56 (Lakeshore Public Television)
Radio: WSCR 670-AM, WIND 560-AM
Skinny: This is a moment both teams have desired for a long time. For the Flames, it's their first chance to host their higher-profile neighbor to the north. For the Blue Demons, it's a chance to avenge last December's 85-80 loss at Allstate Arena. "We ain't going to talk about it like we're getting into a rivalry battle with them," said DePaul sophomore guard Dar Tucker. "But, yeah, we're excited to go to that game." UIC will have to decide whether to stick with its three-guard alignment - and force 6-foot Robo Kreps to guard Tucker and slender 6-5 Tori Boyd to guard 6-10 Mac Koshwal - or give muscular juco transfer Rob Eppinger and junior Jeremy Buttell more time.
Northwestern (2-0) at Brown (1-2)
When: 6 p.m. at Meehan Auditorium
Radio: WGN 720-AM
Skinny: Though Bill Carmody protégé (and famous Barack Obama brother-in-law) Craig Robinson has moved from Brown to Oregon State, the Bears retain the Princeton-style offense and zone defense under new coach Jessie Agel. The Bears' slow start is deceiving because they've played at Rhode Island, George Mason and Holy Cross. Loyola Academy grad Peter Sullivan averages 13 points and 7.3 rebounds to pace Brown. The Wildcats, meanwhile, seek the program's first 3-0 start since 1993, when seniors Kevin Rankin, Todd Leslie and Patrick Baldwin led the way to the NIT. NU shot 51 percent in its first two games while forcing its opponents into 31 percent shooting and 40 turnovers.
Loyola (1-2) at Western Michigan (1-3)
When: 1 p.m. at University Arena
Radio: WLUW 88.7-FM
Skinny: The Ramblers start a three-games-in-four-nights road trip against a team they've faced four times in six years and 91 times overall. Senior J.R. Blount, the reigning Horizon League player of the year, has been hounded since starting his season with a 42-point night. Blount shot just 4-for-21 in the two NIT games at Purdue. The Ramblers are shooting just 26.7 percent on 3s, which continues last year's bugaboo. WMU's David Kool, who seemingly has been around for a decade, leads his squad with 22.3 ppg and 3.8 apg per game.
- Lindsey Willhite