College hoops previews: DePaul, NIU, Loyola

Posted November 19, 2009 10:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

DePaul (1-0) vs. Northern Iowa (1-0)

When: Noon Friday, USVI Sports and Fitness Center

PayInternet: B2TV.com

Skinny: The Blue Demons hustled through their fall quarter exams so they could get to the U.S. Virgin Islands and play in this prestigious eight-team Paradise Jam. DePaul and UNI kick off the tournament - and it won't be an easy matchup for the Demons. The Panthers retain all five starters from last year's team that nearly beat Purdue in the NCAA Tournament's opening round. That group includes sophomore PG Johnny Moran from Jacobs HS. His father, Jim, played for DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright at Highland Park High School a few years back. The Demons were OK in Tuesday's 6-point opening win against Columbia, though they shot 9 of 24 from the free-throw line. You could slough it off as an aberration - but the Demons hit 9 of 20 in their exhibition. If DePaul wins, it'll face either Tennessee or East Carolina at 5 p.m. Sunday. If the Demons lose, it'll be one of those two foes at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Tennessee State (0-1) at Northern Illinois (0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Convocation Center

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Skinny: After losing at Northwestern and Illinois by an average of 20.5 points, the Huskies make their home debut against a Tennessee State squad that's spending the next eight days in the Midwest. The Tigers play at Northwestern on Sunday, zip to Iowa State on Tuesday and then return to UIC for the rest of the Chicago Invitational Challenge. Tennessee State features 6-foot-8 freshman forward Robert Covington (Proviso West), who put up 21 points in his debut against Top 25-worthy Siena. The Huskies, meanwhile, were heartened by the hustle and aggressiveness senior forward Najul Ervin showed against Illinois. Ervin produced 10 points and 7 rebounds and looked every bit the athlete that the Illini were.

Loyola (1-1) at Holy Cross (0-2)

When: 8 p.m. Friday, Hart Center

Videostream: goholycross.com

Radio: WAUR 930-AM, WNTD 950-AM, WLUW 88.7-FM

Skinny: Don't be fooled by the Crusaders' record. They're picked to win the Patriot League as junior forward Andrew Keister (16.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg) is a returning first-team all-league player. Loyola feels good after bouncing Canisius by 20 points. Junior SG Geoff McCammon (Conant) broke out with 22 points after managing just 46 points in his first two seasons as a Rambler. Sophomore PG Courtney Stanley, meanwhile, tied a Gentile Center record with 12 assists.

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