It`s only an intrasquad scrimmage, and De Paul`s opener remains three weeks away.
But coach Joey Meyer says ”adrenaline will run” Saturday at Alumni Hall when his Blue Demons form two squads and give a public performance. For $2, fans can see the women`s team scrimmage at 5 p.m. followed by the men at 7 p.m.
”They`ll be excited, even a little nervous,” said Meyer, who sounded a tad that way himself. ”It`ll be a lot different than a regular practice because of the live crowd, the noise, the shot clocks, the simulated game conditions.”
Meyer said he hadn`t seen enough of his squad to settle on a starting lineup. So he will continue shuffling combinations, as he has been doing since drills opened Oct. 15.
Meyer could opt for a defensive lineup that would include such ballhawks as guard Melvon Foster, forward Curtis Price and shot-blocking 6-foot-9-inch junior-college transfer Jeff Stern. Kevin Holland, the team`s best defensive post player, is recovering from knee surgery and will not play Saturday.
If Meyer wants firepower, he can start with last year`s three leading scorers-David Booth, Steve Howard and Terry Davis-and add veteran Brad Niemann, who has come back from a bad back to resume his role as the team`s deadliest three-point marksman.
Another Demon who will miss the game is 6-9 junior Bill Heppner. The backup pivotman is slated for more tests for his ailing back. His status for the season is uncertain.
”Our post defense has not been good, partly because Holland has not been playing,” Meyer said.
”We`re allowing the ball to go into the post too easily. On the other hand, we`re running a lot more than last year and still making fewer turnovers.”
Part of the reason for the reduction in turnovers, Meyer believes, has been the sound play of three point guards: Foster, Chuckie Murphy and junior- college transfer Joe Daughrity.
”Some are going to get tired Saturday,” Meyer said. ”We intend to run and press more this season, so we`ll run and press in the intrasquad game. And, due to injuries, we have only 10 scholarship players and two walk-ons, so most of them will play almost all the way.”
De Paul plays exhibition games Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 against Yugoslavia and Marathon Oil at Alumni Hall before opening its season Nov. 24 against Hartford at the Horizon.
