‘ Nowhere to go but up,’ Purnell says
Coach Oliver Purnell said he expected last season, his fourth at DePaul, to be the long- awaited turnaround year for his beleaguered program.
But the season ended with a 12- 21 record and only three Big East victories, and leading scorer Cleveland Melvin was dismissed by the school for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
‘‘ Obviously, last year was tough on everyone for a lot of reasons — suspensions, illness, injuries,’’ Purnell said as the Blue Demons held their media day Tuesday. ‘‘ We weren’t able to get going. But the team stuck together, we upset Georgetown in the [ Big East] tournament and Billy Garrett Jr. was named rookie of the year.
‘‘ That outstanding character is returning, and I’mvery excited about the upcoming season. We’re more talented now than we’ve been. I think we have nowhere to go but up.’’
And Purnell is counting on some of his younger players to lead, especially Garrett.
‘‘ Billy is someone we’re counting on,’’ he said of Garrett, who averaged 12.4 points last season and will be the Blue Demons’ top returning scorer. ‘‘ It’s natural because he’s our floor leader but also because of the person he is.’’
Garrett, whose father is part of Purnell’s coaching staff, isn’t shying away from the responsibility.
‘‘ I feel like if I can take what I learned last year and apply it this year, we’ll do all right,’’ he said.
DePaul will play at least two more seasons at Allstate Arena. Athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto said the school is targeting the 2016- 17 season as its first in a new arena near McCormick Place.