The Aggie Basketball team host the DePaul Blue Demon at Reed Arena on Wednesday
No. 21 Texas A&M will face a struggling DePaul team at Reed Arena on Wednesday night at 8 PM CST.
After a tiring road schedule that ended with a sluggish loss against Virginia, the Aggies got a week off and will look to get back to their winning ways. Wade Taylor had a rough outing last game shooting 2-10 with five turnovers for one of his worst games in a very long time. I’m expecting him to bounce back game and for Henry Coleman to continue his All-SEC type of play.
DePaul will attempt to curb their four-game losing streak with their lone victory coming back in the second week of November over South Dakota. The Blue Demons come in as heavy underdogs at +19.5 and are facing a rested and hungry Aggie team.
These two teams have only met twice before with the Aggies winning both of those games. The most recent was an 82-66 rode win last season when Tyrece Radford and Wade Taylor IV combined for 52 points.
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Rookie Wire caught up with Ongenda this week to discuss his senior year, playing with Paul Reed, training for the draft and more.
Nick Ongenda played in only eight games this past season as a fourth-year senior at DePaul, but the 6-foot-11 center sure made his impact was felt upon returning to the lineup.
Ongenda suffered a wrist injury the day before the start of the Blue Demons’ season in November. He was initially slated to miss four weeks but it was later determined that surgery would be needed, which sidelined him until February.
From there, Ongenda dazzled on the court.
The 22-year-old wasted no time upon returning to the court, recording 11 points, eight blocks and six rebounds on Feb. 14 versus St. John’s. He finished the season averaging 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.4 blocks, 1.1 steals and one assist on 46.6% shooting from the field.
Ongenda also produced one of the top plays of the season.
In the first round of the conference tournament, Ongenda, who boasts a 7-foot, 3-inch wingspan, had a game-saving block against Seton Hall as time expired to send the Blue Demons to a 66-65 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Despite logging eight appearances, Ongenda still finished 10th in the Big East in blocks (35). His block average of 4.4 per game would have ranked first in the country as he was one of 12 Division I players to swat at least eight shots in a game.
Ongenda recorded two or more blocks in 35 career games and leaves the program ranked fourth on the all-time block list with 135, trailing only Dallas Comegys (1983-87), George Mikan (1942-46) and Paul Reed (2017-20).
He is in the midst of preparing for the NBA draft.
Ongenda has been training with other prospects in Miami, Florida. He has worked out with Dallas, Milwaukee and Utah so far and will visit Brooklyn this week. He has several other visits scheduled ahead of the draft on June 22.
Rookie Wire caught up with Ongenda this week to discuss his senior year at DePaul, playing with Reed as a freshman, training for the draft, working out with teams and more.
Oklahoma’s basketball team will look very different next year as multiple guys left the program following their near miss of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in the 2021 season. Senior guard Elijah Harkless transferred to UNLV, freshman Alston Mason transferred to Missouri State, sophomore center Rick Issanza transferred to Loyola-Marymount, and junior forward Akol Mawein transferred to Sacramento State.
Umoja Gibson entered his name into the portal on April 27th. Gibson originally transferred to Oklahoma from North Texas in 2020. He will now head north where he will play his college ball in Chicago at DePaul.
Gibson will head to the Blue Demons with one year left of eligibility. The senior guard started 35 games for the Sooners and led Porter Moser’s squad in scoring this season. He averaged 13.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 43.5 percent overall, 87.1 percent from the free throw line, and 39 percent from beyond the arc. Percentage-wise, he was the third-best 3-point shooter in the Big 12 conference.
Gibson’s departure will leave a sizable gap for the Sooners to overcome but the Sooners believe that the transfer of Joe Bamisile from George Wahington will help make for the loss of Gibson’s scoring. Bamisile averaged 16 points a game last year on 46 percent from the field.
Incoming freshmen Otega Oweh and Milos Uzan also could figure into the backcourt rotation as both have good size length and diverse skillsets that could help them stand out and earn early time for Porter Moser.
The No. 19 UConn Huskies (21-8, 12-6 Big East) are heavily favored (by 10 points) to build on a four-game home win streak when they host the DePaul Blue Demons (15-16, 6-13 Big East) on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 5:00 PM ET. The over/under is set at …
The No. 19 UConn Huskies (21-8, 12-6 Big East) are heavily favored (by 10 points) to build on a four-game home win streak when they host the DePaul Blue Demons (15-16, 6-13 Big East) on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 5:00 PM ET. The over/under is set at 140.5 for the matchup. In this preview, we dig into the UConn vs. DePaul odds and lines ahead of this matchup.
UConn is 11-16-1 against the spread, while DePaul’s ATS record this season is 19-10-0. The Huskies are 17-11-0 and the Blue Demons are 16-13-0 in terms of hitting the over. The two teams combine to score 144.9 points per game, 4.4 more points than this matchup’s total. UConn has a 2-7-1 record against the spread while going 6-4 overall in the past 10 contests. DePaul has gone 8-2-0 against the spread and 6-4 overall in its last 10 contests.
Here’s everything you need to prepare for Saturday’s college hoops action in Big East play.
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The Huskies score 76.2 points per game, 9.3 more points than the 66.9 the Blue Demons give up.
UConn has an 11-9-1 record against the spread and a 19-3 record overall when putting up more than 66.9 points.
When DePaul gives up fewer than 76.2 points, it is 15-7 against the spread and 11-13 overall.
The Blue Demons’ 68.7 points per game are only 3.1 more points than the 65.6 the Huskies allow.
DePaul is 15-4 against the spread and 14-5 overall when it scores more than 65.6 points.
UConn is 6-12 against the spread and 14-5 overall when it gives up fewer than 68.7 points.
The Huskies have out-scored their opponents by a total of 307 points this season (10.6 points per game on average), and the Blue Demons have put up 56 more points than their opponents on the year (1.8 per game).
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DePaul Center announces the Texas Longhorns are among his top three choices from the NCAA Transfer Portal.
With the additions of Timmy Allen, Devin Askew, Christian Bishop and Jaylon Tyson, the Texas Longhorns basketball program is landing plenty of talent in the Chris Beard era.
It’s important to land sought-after players of that nature via the transfer portal and recruiting since Texas players Courtney Ramey, Greg Brown, Jericho Sims and Matt Coleman III are still undecided on their future’s with the program.
Now, another fresh face could potentially be added to next years roster by way of sophomore center Nick Ongenda. His top three transfer destinations were released on Tuesday and he is deciding between Texas, Oklahoma State or returning to DePaul.
If Ongenda were to come to Texas, he would immediately be the biggest player on the team standing at 6-foot-11, 210-pounds.
He has spent two seasons with DePaul and saw an increase in playing time last season where he averaged 5.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 59.7% from the field. He was primarily a sixth-man type of center, but did have four starts last season while playing an average of 18.4 minutes per game.
Texas, at the moment, is barren on post players and with Kai Jones leaving for the upcoming NBA draft, as well as Sims and Brown still undecided, the addition of Nick Ongenda is sorely needed.
DePaul Blue Demons forward Paul Reed, who declared early entry for the 2020 NBA Draft, is considered one of the top players at his position.
DePaul Blue Demons forward Paul Reed, who declared early entry for the 2020 NBA draft, is considered one of the top players at his position.
Reed, who is 6-foot-9, won the Big East’s Most Improved Player in 2019 and then was honored as second-team All-Big East in 2019-20. He averaged 15.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.9 steals per game as a junior.
The prospect, who ranks No. 37 overall on our most recent aggregate mock draft, recently caught up with HoopsHype.
Note: This transcription has been very minorly edited for clarity.
What have you been doing to keep busy during the quarantine?
Paul Reed: I was mad when the season ended. But I’ve just been working and preparing myself for the next season. So I’ve just been working out. Otherwise, just doing school work and hanging out with my family.
You got so much during each season at DePaul. What are some things you took away from your experience of playing college basketball?
PR: Thinking back to my time at DePaul, it taught me how to play without the ball in my hands and having plays run for me. I just learned how to hoop with plays, getting it out of the muscle, for real. That is one of my biggest takeaways.
What are some of your favorite memories from playing college basketball?
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
PR: I loved hanging out with my teammates, getting wins. I loved getting wins, to be honest, and how it made us feel. Whenever we won, that was the best. I loved the Butler game because, before that, I went to my coach’s office and told him plays that we should run. He listened to me. We did them and it worked. I missed only one shot and ended up with a double-double.
You are a double-double machine! How much is that part of your identity as a player?
PR: That’s a given. I expect myself to get a double-double every time I play or step on the court. That’s just a part of my game. That’s what you are going to get out of me, at least ten points and ten rebounds. Then, some steals and some blocks. That’s just part of my game.
I love the way that you can record a steal or block on defense and then turn that into a transition bucket.
PR: In high school, I used to bring the ball up a lot. I got the rebound and then brought it up myself. I’m not where I want to be at yet. Last season, I would lose the ball sometimes after I would get a steal or a block. That’s what I’ve been working on this offseason, my handles. I want to make sure they are nice and tight so I don’t make those same errors again. But that is part of my game. I’m an all-around player. I feel like I can do it all. If I get a steal, I can go coast-to-coast and make something happen. That’s just part of me.
Tell me about your mentality as a shot-blocker, rim protector as well as recording defensive rebounds.
PR: It’s just instincts, playing with a motor. I’m always trying to stay active. For my team, I’m always the last line of defense. That is my mindset. It’s up to me to not let the other team score. Defensive rebounds are also extremely important because if I don’t get the rebound, most likely the other team will. Then they will get another chance to score. We need defensive rebounds. It’s super important. I’m that guy that’s going to get them.
I think you are a fantastic finisher near the rim on offense, too, recording 32 dunks. How do you think that will translate to the next level?
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
PR: At the next level, I think that because the court is more spaced out, I can actually showcase my ability to dribble the ball and make moves. I couldn’t really showcase that at DePaul because that wasn’t my role. I had to box my game in. But in the NBA, once I’m on the court and I have someone in front of me, I’ll be able to go around them.
You averaged 1.8 shot attempts from beyond the arc as a junior, which was by far the most in your collegiate career. Where is your confidence right now in your jump shot?
PR: I can shoot the ball pretty well. My midrange is knockdown and my three-pointer is getting knockdown. I think I’m going to be able to come in and knock down open shots, easily. If there is a dude in my face, I feel like I’m still going to be able to knock a shot down. I’ve been working on it every day. That’s a plus about my game. I showcased that ability at DePaul, being able to knock down shots.
How would you describe what your role will look like in the NBA?
PR: I expect to be an energy guy on offense. I can be a cutter and slasher. If you pass it to me and I’m open, I’m going to shoot it. I’m going to be an all-around type player, getting offensive rebounds. Defensively, I think that I’m going to be the person who is guarding the best player most of the time. I can use my length as well as my athleticism to block shots and get steals and turn defense into offense. I am going to be a glue guy for any team I play for.
Positionally, where do you think you would have the most success?
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
PR: I don’t have a preference between the four and the five but at the next level, I’ll also be able to play the three. I didn’t get to showcase it but my ability to handle the ball and shoot the ball and guard one through five will make me able to play at the three, too.
Are there any goals that you have set for yourself that you can share?
PR: On the court, whatever team I go to, help lead them to the playoffs and hopefully win the championship. Another personal goal: I want to lead the rookies in rebounding. Off the court, I want to help my family get their house together. Fix all the things that are wrong. Do it up for my mom so she can be comfortable, super comfortable.
What are some of the things that you like to do when you are not playing basketball?
PR: I like to watch movies, go for walks. I’m a Christian. I love God. I put all my faith in God. I had a church in Chicago that I was going to. I’ve also been doing online services here in Orlando.
Previewing Monday’s Seton Hall Pirates vs. DePaul Blue Demons Blue Demons sports betting odds and lines, with NCAA basketball betting picks.
The Seton Hall Pirates (8-4) and DePaul Blue Demons (12-1) open the conference schedule at Wintrust Arena in suburban Chicago at 8:30 p.m. ET Monday. We analyze the Seton Hall-DePaul odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Seton Hall at DePaul: Three things you need to know
1. The Pirates have been banged up, but they have ripped off two straight wins while playing at less than 100%. They surprised Maryland as seven-point underdogs Dec. 19, and thumped Prairie View A&M as 17.5-point favorites, winning by 20. The Under has hit in four straight for the Pirates.
2. DePaul suffered a stunning 74-69 loss to Buffalo Dec. 8, falling as a 10.5-point favorite. But the Blue Demons have rattled off three wins in a row since, including a solid 83-78 victory over crosstown rival Northwestern.
3. The underdog has connected in four of the past five meetings in this series.
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Seton Hall at DePaul: Odds, betting lines and picks
DEPAUL (+1, -110) is the play at home, mainly due to health. G Myles Powell (concussion) and F Sandro Mamukelashvili (wrist) are out for Seton Hall, and the Pirates can’t continue to tick off wins without two of their top scorers.
UNDER 137 (-110) is worth a small-unit play, as the Pirates will likely look to slow it down without Powell and Mamukelashvili in the conference opener on the road. The Under is 4-0 in the past four for SHU, and 5-2 in DePaul’s past seven against teams with a winning percentage of .600 or better.
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