One of Pat Kennedy’s goals as DePaul’s coach was for his decidedly smallish Blue Demons to buy into a system featuring continuous motion with purpose on offense and defense, the determined Lilliputians tying up and frustrating giant Gullivers.
Making their third appearance in the Maui Invitational beginning Tuesday with a first-round game against Missouri, the Blue Demons will indeed buy in or be blown out.
They are even smaller than they were in their victory over Alabama State, making the trip without their second-tallest player, 6-foot-6-inch sophomore Ricardo Crumble.
After playing Missouri, the Demons will face either Duke or Chaminade, then finish the three-game tournament with a game against either Arizona, Boston College, George Washington or Kentucky.
“The Missouri game is the key,” Kennedy said. “That first night is the most important. All we’ve talked about is, `Beat Missouri, beat Missouri, beat Missouri.’ They (Missouri) don’t know it yet, but we’re beating them.”
They will have to do it without Crumble, who did not make the Hawaii trip after meeting with coaches Friday to evaluate his DePaul future. Crumble, from Cleveland, is seeing little playing time behind 6-9 Ayinde Avery from Prosser. He’ll see less next season because of the talented incoming recruiting class, and he’s considering a transfer to Cleveland State University.
If Crumble relinquishes his scholarship, DePaul will have eight players on scholarship for next season, leaving the necessary five slots for the incoming class, which is expected to include forward Antonio Latimer from Miami. Latimer filed his letter of intent Friday.
In the meantime, with sophomore Kenny Forges academically ineligible, DePaul is not only undersized but undermanned as well. Kennedy took a few moments during practice Friday to talk privately with non-starters Brian Cashin, Demarcus Gaines, Innis Glover and Devon Phillips, who now become pivotal to DePaul’s chances in Hawaii.
“We’ve got three games in three days, and we’re going out there to win some games,” Kennedy said. “These guys have been running a lot of Missouri’s and opponents’ stuff, and I didn’t want them to be discouraged because their contributions in this stretch are going to be critical.”
Missouri, particularly on offense, will be a harsh test for Kennedy’s guard-heavy team. The Demons’ ability to cope with Missouri’s size will be a telling indicator of how well they have bought into Kennedy’s plan, and how far it can take them.
The Tigers use 6-11 Tate Decker in the pivot and 6-8 senior forward Kelly Thames as the core of a power game inside. DePaul has only one player taller than 6-5 and is determined to keep the game on its terms with a motion offense geared to wear down taller opponents late in games.
“Every night’s going to be a battle, that’s for sure,” Kennedy said.
The tournament starts a run of seven straight road games, and 10 of DePaul’s next 12 are away from home. Previous trips to Maui produced a seventh-place finish in 1988 and a sixth in 1992. DePaul is 2-4 in Maui. Missouri, 16-17 last season, has fared somewhat better, winning three different Hawaii tournaments under coach Norm Stewart.
