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DePaul Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Blue Demons

By Bryan Mauro

PROVIDENCE, RI - FEBRUARY 27: Darrick Wood #1, Myke Henry #4, and Joe Hanel #33 of the DePaul Blue Demons reacts minutes before a loss against the Providence Friars in the second half on February 27, 2016, at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
PROVIDENCE, RI - FEBRUARY 27: Darrick Wood #1, Myke Henry #4, and Joe Hanel #33 of the DePaul Blue Demons reacts minutes before a loss against the Providence Friars in the second half on February 27, 2016, at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 21: Eli Cain #11 of the DePaul Blue Demons drives to the basket against Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on February 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 21: Eli Cain #11 of the DePaul Blue Demons drives to the basket against Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on February 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Projected Starters

Femi Olujobi- Senior

Olujobi is a graduate transfer, he spent the first part of his career in the Horizon league playing for Oakland, then he spent last season at North Carolina A and T in the MEAC. Now he begins his 4th college season for the third team. As mentioned earlier Olujobi is going to be a huge shot in the arm for an offense who struggled at times last year. The senior big man is a great rebounder and can score points in bunches.

A season ago while in the MEAC he scored 16.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest. Within those numbers were numerous 20-point scoring games and two 30-point games. The senior big man had sparse playing time at Oakland, last year was a breakout season, and with that breakout season, the senior became a coveted commodity on the transfer market.

Jalen Coleman-Lands- Junior

The junior guard arrived at DePaul after spending his first two seasons 2 hours away in Champaign as a member of the Illinois basketball program. Coleman-Lands is known for one thing and that is his shooting prowess. His first two years in the Big Ten he showed the league that he was one of the best three-point shooters in the country. DePaul is going to utilize the guard’s skills and game plan to try and get him open. The junior made 40% of his three-point baskets while at Illinois. If he can make baskets with the same consistency at DePaul it will not take long for the Big East to take notice.

Devin Gage- Sophomore

Gage is going to get a do-over for his sophomore season. A season ago he started the first 8 games before rupturing his Achilles tendon which earned him a medical redshirt. Once Gage went down the DePaul offense took a hit. In the Big East schedule, the team needed a lead guard, a guard to distribute to the scorers.

The return of the guard will help the DePaul offense and provide some stability in the backcourt. The sophomore is a force on defense on well. He has shown in his short career that he can jump into passing lanes for steals to end possessions early and create early offense for the Blue Demons. Gage returning is good news for DePaul.

Eli Cain- Senior

The senior guard is one of the best players in DePaul history, and he returns for his senior season. No player deserves to be part of a winning team more than Cain. The senior guard plays multiple positions on the floor. He is a great lead guard and deadly from the Wing. The decorated senior enters play this season with many DePaul records on his mind. He is 33rd all-time in scoring with 1,184 points, 14th all-time with 118 made three-pointers and 22nd all-time with 286 assists. DePaul runs their offense through Cain and will continue to do so this year. This season unlike years past he has a little more help with Olujobi and Coleman-Lands.

Cain is still going to score and distribute, but now he has other players to pick up the slack. With the added depth to DePaul’s roster, Leitao has the flexibility to let Cain play all over the floor, which better matches his overall skill set. Look for Cain to have his best year since arriving in Chicago.

Max Strus- Senior

Strus is another player who ended up at DePaul via transfer. This time, however, the wing transferred from a non-division 1 school. Strus was a star at Division II Lewis College his first two years as a college player. He picked up right where he left off last year at DePaul. The wing finished second on the single season three-point list with 81 makes. Strus also was one of the 38 players to score 500 points in a single season.

The Blue Demons are going to have three great shooters on the floor together most nights. With Strus, Cain and Coleman-Lands if each of them plays up to their potential they can make it very tough on opposing defenses. That is why having a frontcourt player the caliber of Olujobi was so important. Strus is a prolific scorer and can carry an offense when he is on the floor.

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