DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield and Eastern Michigan coach Stan Heath are in similar spots heading into Sunday afternoon matchup in Chicago.
Each is in the first year in charge of his program, and with several new players, this non-conference season has been about building chemistry and laying a foundation for what they want to become.
DePaul has opened 5-0, with the most recent win coming Friday at home over Northern Kentucky, 77-68. The Blue Demons have been led in scoring by Javon Freeman-Liberty, who is averaging 23.8 points and 9.8 rebounds a game.
“Javon is a very good player,” Stubblefield said. “He’s great person, he’s a good player and he’s put himself in this position by the work he has put in the fall. He has a high basketball IQ.”
David Jones has also been productive for DePaul, averaging 17.6 points and 8.8 rebounds for a team that is scoring 86 points a game.
Eastern Michigan, meantime, is 2-3 following a 72-68 win over Western Illinois on Wednesday.
Four of EMU’s five games this season have been decided by six points or fewer, including a 68-62 loss at Indiana. Three Eagles are scoring in double figures: Noah Farrakhan at 16.8 points per game, Monty Scott 16.4, and Bryce McBride 12.4.
The Eagles have had problems taking care of the basketball, averaging nearly 16 turnovers a game to start the season.
Heath called DePaul “a team that has a lot of talent.”
“They’ve done a really great job of (reconstructing) their team right away,” he said. “But we’ll be ready to go. We’ll be watching a lot of film and getting our team ready to go.”
DePaul takes five days off before returning to the court for three games in seven days next week, starting Saturday at home again Loyola Chicago, followed by another home game against Duquesne and a trip to Louisville.
Eastern Michigan is at UC San Diego on Thursday.
–Field Level Media
