You can replace the coach, but unfortunately you can't replace the players and you can't change your whole scheme in a week. DePaul found that out the hard way as the Blue Demons showed many of their old tendencies, even while displaying some new tricks, in a 79-62 loss to Providence on Thursday in front of 7,533 at Allstate Arena.
Without Mac Koshwal, who is out for 2-4 weeks with a right foot injury, DePaul (7-9, 0-4) battled during the first half, but once again found itself on the wrong end of a result due to a poor second half.
DePaul took a few more threes, turned the ball over more and played a bit faster with interim head coach Tracy Webster, who replaced former head coach Jerry Wainwright on Monday, on the bench.
"We want to be aggressive," Webster said. "Now we have to adjust and look at some things, but we want to be aggressive defensively."
Webster mixed things up. He tried to compensate for the absence of Koshwal by inserting sophomore center Krys Faber into the starting lineup. Webster brought Eric Wallace, who had started all 15 games under Wainwright, off the bench. There was also more energy in the building as the largest student section in over a year serenaded Webster with chants of "Tracy, Tracy."
It worked for a while against a young Providence (11-6, 3-2) team. DePaul held a 7 point lead at the under four timeout, but once again the Blue Demons failed to close a half strong. Providence finished the first 20 minutes on a 14-2 run to take a 33-28 lead into halftime.
In the second half the energy and intensity that the Blue Demons had played with appeared to evaporate as Providence used to a press to get easy basket after easy basket. DePaul had no answer for the Friars underneath without Koshwal. The Friars scored 44 points in the paint.
"We came out. We thought we were ready, and a couple lazy passes early on and it just was a domino effect," Webster said.
The game stats though still show a team that might have the worst collection of shooters in the nation - the Blue Demons were ranked 347th (or worst) nationally in free throw percentage coming into the game - and a team that without Wainwright's disciplined system turned the ball over even more.
For the game DePaul shot 35.6% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line. The Blue Demons committed 15 turnovers, which led to 19 points for the Friars.
One player the benefitted from a new rotation was Mike Stovall. The junior had been averaging 4.7 ppg and 2.4 rpg under Wainwright, but he scored a career high 30 points and grabbed 5 boards on Thursday. He aggressively attacked the paint and used his athleticism to generate opportunities. Of course, he wasn't perfect either. Stovall committed 5 turnovers and took 21 shots.
"Every time I get to the basket I look to pass too much," Stovall said. "I need to be aggressive like coach and the rest of the staff said. Just look to score."
Marshon Brooks led Providence with 17 points. He went 6-9 and grabbed 7 boards. Jamine Peterson had 16 points and 10 boards for the Friars.
After a big run out of halftime, Providence led by 20 or more for most of the final 20 minutes. It was another rough game for the Blue Demons and it just goes to show that while you can change the coach in the season, you can't change the players and there's still a long way for the Blue Demons to go.
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Tags: DePaul, Jerry Wainwright, Krys Faber, Mike Stovall, Tony Freeland, Tracy Webster
