BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DePaul @ South Florida

February 17, 2007


If there ever was a team more susceptible to a trap game than DePaul, I have not seen them! The Blue Demons are coming off a pair of emotional and draining victories on their home floor as they beat Notre Dame 67-66 and Marquette 72-67. Now, they hit the road to travel all the way to South Florida to meet the Bulls, just days before their rematch with Notre Dame. With DePaul's VERY inconsistent nature, this is a very tough spot for the Blue Demons.

Adding more intrigue is the fact that the Bulls have improved in recent weeks. Sure, they are currently mired in a three-game losing streak, but in their previous homestand the Bulls earned a lopsided win over Cincinnati and upset Notre Dame, losing only a heart-breaker to Marquette. On the season, USF is 3-3 at home in conference play.

Including the USF game, DePaul has three very winnable games down the stretch as well as their rematch with Notre Dame. There is slight hope they can make things interesting on selection Sunday, but in order to do so, they have to avoid disaster in South Florida. The Bulls are deeper than they have been and do match-up pretty well with the Blue Demons. If DePaul has any thoughts of an easy trip south, they will be upset.

NBE Blogger Prediction: DePaul 65 South Florida 62