College Hoops Countdown, Part Trey

Maybe Jerry Wainwright and I are kindred souls born a couple decades apart.

Whenever we chat on the phone, our conversations stretch for at least a half-hour. Since I like talking hoops miniutiae and philosophies and whatnot...and Wainwright has some deep thoughts on almost everything...it's a good match. What makes Wainwright so deep? Well, it helps that he sleeps only a few hours each night and has some quiet time to contemplate basketball and other things bigger than the game.

But enough about that. We're here to talk some DePaul hoops. "Blue Madness" hits McGrath Arena at 8 p.m. Friday. There'll be all the usual celebration stuff (Wainwright says watch out for Ohio State transfer Eric Wallace challenging Dar Tucker for the dunk contest title...I say I'll believe Dar has a challenger when I see it), but there should also be a clear sign that the Demons have put in the time with new Director of Strength and Conditioning Bryce Karasiak.

Karasiak, a 2002 Indiana graduate, worked at Minnesota and Augsberg College before coming to DePaul in January.

"We couldn't have gotten a better guy," Wainwright said. "You'll be really impressed with how their bodies have changed."

Not only have the Demons added necessary muscle (senior center Matija Poscic added 15 pounds), they improved their conditioning. That will be huge for guys like Tucker, who averaged 13.6 points last year in just 23.6 minutes per game. Bump him to 32 minutes per game this year...and that's an 18.4 ppg average even if his offensive game hasn't improved one iota.

What else is happening in Lincoln Park? Redshirt freshman Mike Bizoukas and true freshman Jeremiah Kelly, a four-star recruit, are looking to split the point-guard duties. Tucker, Will Walker (9.6 ppg) and Jabari Currie (4.4 ppg) are the main perimeter guys with Kelly also capable of being a wing shooter.

Mac Koshwal, Poscic and true frosh Krys Faber are the top candidates to handle the 4 and 5, though true freshman leaper Devin Hill and 7-foot-2 redshirt frosh Kene Obi will find minutes, too.

Next up on the Countdown (insert Casey Kasem voice here)? A short-distance dedication to the programs at NIU, UIC and Loyola.

And check out the Herald's Friday paper. Monster hoops preview in there with a funny little anecdote about Illini PG Demetri McCamey.

And Friday night, if you're really nice, me and the Toyota Camry and the XM radio will tour a few schools' opening practices and post a few thoughts.

LW