Big East Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

11. DePaul Blue Demons

Projected Starters

G: Umoja Gibson (Oklahoma)

G: Caleb Murphy (South Florida)

G: Jalen Terry

F: Javan Johnson

C: Nick Ongenda

After having a go-to leading scorer each of the past two seasons in Javon Freeman-Liberty, Coach Stubblefield is going to have a harder time identifying who that will be in 2022-23. Last season, the Blue Demons finished 15-16, but just 6-14 in conference play. They looked good in non-conference play but fell apart once they started playing Big East teams losing 13 out of their first 16 games against conference opponents.

With Freeman-Liberty and David Jones, undoubtedly their two best players last season, the Blue Demons looked to the transfer portal and scooped up a pair of guards to replace them. Umoja Gibson comes over from Oklahoma and Caleb Murphy from South Florida. The incoming duo likely won’t replace the production from their predecessors, but if DePaul wants to go anywhere this year, they will have to take charge.

For a team that finished ninth in the Big East and lost their top two leading scorers, it is reasonable to expect some decline. Top returners Nick Ongenda and Jalen Terry combined with the incoming Gibson and Murphy will win some games, but likely won’t be enough to be competitive with some of the powerhouses at the top of the conference.

Coach Stubblefield also brings in LIU transfer Eral Penn to help bolster the front court. Returning role players Yor Anei and Philmon Gebrewhit along with incoming freshmen Zion Cruz and Dae’Sean Nelson will fill out the rotation for the Blue Demons, but it would be surprising to see them make a leap from last year’s finish.