2000-01 record: 12-18; 4-12 in C-USA (6th in American) Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Sawyer 11.7 ppg | Rebounds: Williams 5.8 rpg | Assists: Sawyer 6.0 apg | FG %: Williams 47.5% | 3pt %: Tulley 36.2% | FT %: Tulley 81.0% 00-01 Stats: DePaul | C-USA

		Saturday, Nov. 3 DePaul is trying to recover from what it lost. I've never seen a team lose so many players to the NBA, even one they had no chance at because he entered straight out of high school (Eddie Curry). If DePaul had all of those underclassmen still playing, it would be unbelievable. The answer for the Blue Demons may be the return of 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward Lance Williams. Williams had a great freshman year but has been injured a lot since. If he comes back and plays well, and if they get the scoring from big junior college transfer Sam Hoskins (6-9, 250), then DePaul has a chance to play pretty good. DePaul's guard play has been very suspect. They have not shot the ball well. If Rashon Burno and Imari Sawyer improve their shooting, they'll have a chance to be pretty good -- but that's a long stretch for them.

Outlook
The Blue Demons were an insult to basketball last season, graphically underachieving despite a roster packed with highly recruited players.

This year, at least blessed with low expectations and some potential competition for playing time, we'll see whether DePaul can break a collective sweat and play with some passion and urgency. So far, Pat Kennedy's heavy recruiting of marquee Chicago public school players has failed to restore DePaul basketball to its former glory, as four underclassmen and one recruit have all jumped to the NBA in two years.

"Our job is to put it behind us and recover," Kennedy said.

Four players who started more than half of DePaul's 30 games last year return, led by sophomore point guard Imari Sawyer and center Lance Williams, who finally has himself in top shape for his senior season. Williams is a load on the low block but has been injured and flabby for much of his career.

The other returnees with significant starting experience are guard Joe Tulley and Rashon Burno, a feisty 5-7 senior in his third year as team captain. (That tells you what kind of leadership DePaul has gotten from its more publicized players.)

But that group will all be pushed for minutes, which should give Kennedy some quality depth. Sophomore forward Andre Brown has added some muscle to his 6-9 frame and should be a factor, along with five newcomers. Included in that is Kansas transfer Marlon London.

Several players put up pretty good individual numbers for the Blue Demons last year, but the collective team numbers were terrible: they were in the top half of C-USA team stats for league games in just one category, blocked shots. Watching this team play, you got the feeling that individual stat lines were all that mattered to some players.

What we like: DePaul is always willing to play a top-shelf schedule, this one including the Preseason NIT, Notre Dame, Temple, Missouri and UNLV.

What we don't like: The on-floor coaching job done by Kennedy. Put it this way: Louisville's program collapsed the past four years, leading to Denny Crum's forced retirement last March. Yet Crum still managed to beat Kennedy eight straight times.

The bottom line: Team cohesiveness should be better, and that alone should create a few more wins. But this program once again has a long way to go to rekindle the glory days.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Imari Sawyer	So.	G	6-2/170	PTS: 11.7 | REB: 2.4 | AST: 6.0
Lance Williams	Sr.	F/C	6-9/250	PTS: 10.7 | REB: 5.8 | AST: 0.3
Joe Tulley	Jr.	G	6-2/180	PTS: 7.6 | REB: 2.2 | AST: 1.8

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Bobby Simmons	G	6-7/210	PTS: 16.7 | REB: 8.6 | AST: 2.5
Steve Hunter	C	7-0/215	PTS: 11.4 | REB: 5.6 | AST: 0.5

DePaul Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Drake Diener	G	6-5	Fond du Lac, Wis./Goodrich H.S.
Quemont Greer	F/G	6-7	Milwauke, Wis./Homested Academy
Sam Hoskin	F F	6-9	Detroit/Schoolcraft JC
LeVar Seals	G	6-4	Chicago/Providence St. Mel's
Marlon Brooks	F G	6-1	Peoria, Ill./Manuel H.S./Lincoln JC
Sean Farrell	G	6-4	Lisle, Ill./St. Francis