Big East Basketball Rankings: SJU remains undefeated, DePaul surprising

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 21: Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Steve Wojciechowski directs his players during the first half of the game against Kansas Jayhawks during the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament at Barclays Center on November 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 27: Head coach Leitao of DePaul. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

DePaul might not be a dominant force this season but it is clear that the program is trending in the right direction both on and off the court. There have been plenty of Dave Leitao critics in the past but it is hard to argue with the idea that he has done a fairly nice job so far this year. Sure, the Blue Demons are not destroying opponents or shooting up the national rankings but there is a legitimate shot that they are not the worst team in the conference this season and that is a step forward.

DePaul stands at 8-2 through the first month of the season and, while they have played the easiest schedule out of the entire Big East, they have landed a couple of solid wins. With victories over Penn State and Illinois-Chicago, it is clear that DePaul may have what it takes to win a few games in conference play this year. And while this may seem like a backhanded compliment, it is important to remember that the program has won just nine Big East games in the past three years combined.

Looking ahead, DePaul will hopefully continue to get elite-level production out of senior forward Max Strus. One of the more underrated scorers in the nation, Strus is averaging 20.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game so far this season on .458/.381/.725 shooting. Additionally, fellow seniors Eli Cain (14.2 points, 4.9 assists) and Femi Olujobi (10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds) have added their fair share of contributions.

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