Emma: Purnell Embraces Daunting DePaul Job
"We feel like we have a culture shift," Oliver Purnell says.
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"We feel like we have a culture shift," Oliver Purnell says.
Soon, DePaul will have some key questions to answer about its basketball program.
DePaul's leading scorer has left the program.
Cleveland Melvin scored 23 points to lead DePaul to an 81-72 victory over Wright State on Saturday in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.
Freshman Tommy Hamilton IV scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his college debut to help the DePaul Blue Demons to a 96-58 victory over Grambling State in their season opener at McGrath-Phillips Arena on Saturday.
J.J. Moore scored 21 points off the bench and No. 20 Pittsburgh shot a school-record 72 percent to beat DePaul 81-66 on Saturday in the Panthers' last Big East regular-season game.
Brandon Triche and James Southerland combined for 37 points in the final home game of their careers, and No. 17 Syracuse beat DePaul 78-57 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
Toarlyn Fitzpatrick scored 19 points, Anthony Collins and Victor Rudd both added 16 and South Florida stopped a 10-game losing streak by beating DePaul 83-73 Sunday.
Russ Smith scored 17 points, Peyton Siva had 16 and No. 10 Louisville beat DePaul 79-58 on Wednesday night for its fourth consecutive victory.
Worrel Clahar scored 19 points to lead DePaul to a 75-69 victory over Rutgers on Saturday, snapping the Blue Demons' nine-game losing streak.
Jerian Grant scored 21 points, including a big three-point play in overtime, to lift No. 21 Notre Dame to an 82-78 win over DePaul on Wednesday night, beating the Blue Demons in overtime for the second time in 11 days.
First, Daniel Ochefu made a jumper. Then Darrun Hilliard and Ryan Arcidiacono each converted a layup, and Arcidiacono connected on a 3-pointer. One after another, the shots kept going in for Villanova in the second half.
Jack Cooley scored 26 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as Notre Dame beat DePaul 79-71 in overtime on Saturday.
Jamal Branch scored 18 points to lead St. John's to a 71-62 victory over DePaul on Saturday.
Cashmere Wright scored 20 points before leaving with an injury, leading Cincinnati to a 75-70 victory over DePaul Tuesday night.
Cleveland Melvin scored 24 points and DePaul defeated Maryland-Baltimore County 69-61 Saturday to extend its winning streak to seven games.
Brandon Young scored 21 points, and a renewed defensive effort in the second half allowed DePaul to overcome a 14-point deficit Wednesday and beat Chicago State 74-64.
Cleveland Melvin matched a career high with 30 points and Brandon Young added 20 as DePaul held off a late Fairfield rally to secure an 85-78 victory Tuesday night.
DePaul was disappointed after its last loss and was determined to play with more intensity. The Blue Demons did that with their press on Saturday, forcing 27 turnovers in a 98-67 rout of Austin Peay.
Seniors Darryl "Truck" Bryant and Kevin Jones closed out their West Virginia home careers in grand style Tuesday night as the Mountaineers dunked DePaul 92-75 while hosting their final Big East game.
LaDontae Henton scored 24 points, including a basket with 1.7 seconds left, to lead Providence to a 73-71 win over DePaul on Saturday.
Russ Smith hit back-to-back baskets in overtime Saturday and No. 19 Louisville rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat DePaul 90-82, the Cardinals' seventh win in eight games.
Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi each put up double-doubles and Connecticut, playing its fourth straight game without ailing coach Jim Calhoun, beat DePaul 80-54 on Wednesday night.
Jerian Grant and Jack Cooley scored 22 points each and Notre Dame held off DePaul 84-76 on Saturday for its sixth win in a row.
D'Angelo Harrison scored a game-high 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, as St. John's defeated DePaul 87-81 on Wednesday night.
All nine avalanche victims have been recovered from California's Sierra Nevada, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said Saturday at a news conference.
According to Chicago police, the ages of the victims range from 20 to 37.
The two boys, both 17, one from Bensenville and the other from Addison, were arrested on Friday night.
Indiana State Police said a silver 2022 Toyota was heading southbound in the northbound lanes of I-65 and hit a black 2016 Ford head-on just before 2 a.m. on Saturday.
An investigation by the Major Accidents Investigation Unit is open and ongoing.
Gov. JB Pritzker is demanding President Trump refund the state of Illinois more than $8 billion after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his sweeping reciprocal tariffs Friday.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker turned up the pressure on the Bears on Friday, calling on ownership to make clear if they're still interested in staying in Illinois and stop sending mixed signals.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will join several other Democratic elected officials and well-known actors in giving unofficial responses to President Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night, according to a news release about the event.
"I guess I can say I am considering that," President Trump told reporters when asked about the possibility of a limited strike on Iran.
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled President Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs under a federal emergency powers law.
This is after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed an ordinance that would have banned most hemp-derived products this weekend.
This week marks Identity Theft Awareness Week, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza emphasized some safety tips Monday for avoiding and dealing with identity theft.
A controversial data center in Naperville, Illinois, could be the cause to pack a city council meeting there on Tuesday night.
Police in the west Chicago suburb of Geneva are warning of a scam involving spoofed phone numbers.
Protesters on Tuesday were cranking up the heat on Peoples Gas over a recently proposed rate hike that would add an additional $10 to $11 a month to utility bills.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital announced this week that it is planning to open a new pediatric hospital in the west Chicago suburb of Downers Grove.
It has been nearly six years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of the many questions doctors are still working to answer concerns the long-term effects.
Leaders from Cook County, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository denounced changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a grant from The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation for a new cancer center.
Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital said Tuesday that it is no longer initiating gender-affirming medical treatment for minors.
Lizard's Liquid Lounge announced recently that it will be closing for good in April after 18 years on Chicago's Northwest Side.
BP refinery workers in Northwest Indiana hit the picket line this past weekend as they escalate their fight for a contract.
Funkytown has now received a $3.7 million grant from the City of Chicago. The money will be used to create a new brewery and tap room on the Near West Side.
With his name now hanging in the rafters, former Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose is helping the United Center with its major redevelopment.
A potential bidding war is taking shape for the Daily Herald, the newspaper of record for suburban Chicago.
"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi said in a TikTok video that her results at a post-op appointment for a cone biopsy showed stage 1 cervical cancer.
Garth Brooks, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone and Jelly Roll are among the artists headlining in the 2026 SummerFest in Milwaukee this summer.
Anderson Cooper will report multiple stories for "60 Minutes" before the end of the television season in May.
Warner Bros. Discovery said that Paramount Skydance is considering enhancing its buyout offer for the entertainment company.
Robert Duvall was in such classics as "The Godfather," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "M*A*S*H," "The Great Santini" and "Tender Mercies."
Chicago police said a man was found unresponsive outside with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso.
Chicago police said Marquese Hill, 18, and a 17-year-old boy are facing multiple charges including two felony counts of first-degree murder.
Chicago police are still searching for the driver of an SUV that hit two girls, 6 and 15, on Friday morning in the West Englewood neighborhood.
The event was said to focus on issues impacting women, working families, economic equity, healthcare, and voting rights.
Meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist is tracking the latest in your First Alert Weather.
Chicago police said two persons of interest are in custody for a deadly carjacking on the city's North Side that is believed to also be connected to a shooting in Bronzeville.
An investigation by the Major Accidents Investigation Unit is open and ongoing.
On Saturday morning, faith leaders and community members came together for a morning of reflection, music, and service in honor of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson.
All nine avalanche victims have been recovered from California's Sierra Nevada, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said Saturday at a news conference.
According to Chicago police, the ages of the victims range from 20 to 37.
A family-owned toy company in north suburban Vernon Hills played a pivotal role in the surprise Supreme Court ruling Friday that struck down most of President Trump's tariffs.
The city of Chicago is about to write some big checks to thousands of vehicle owners who had their cars, vans, or trucks towed by the city without the proper warning.
Gary residents hoped the new partnership between U.S. Steel and Japanese company Nippon Steel would mean changes to how much coal is being used and how much emissions are being released, but that's not what's in the works.
Chef Art Smith said the carjacking and fatal shooting of his employee, Darwin Tirado, 22, was devastating not only to his family but also to the larger community.
A state lawmaker is joining the growing call for accountability from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services about past abuse allegations before an 8-year-old boy's murder.
After a successful halfpipe qualifier, Team USA's Hunter Hess flashed an "L" and referenced insults from President Trump.
The Chicago Bears have taken a big step forward in finding a new site for their stadium, and that momentum is moving fast toward Northwest Indiana.
As far as his own game is heading into the upcoming season, Hayes said he feels strong and healthy.
With all of his success so far, the 35-year-old lefty said he's excited for what's to come in year two for both himself and the team.
Northern Iowa football player Parker Sutherland has died two days after collapsing during an offseason workout.
An Illinois man was extradited from Texas to Michigan to face felony charges in connection with a 2024 murder and robbery in Warren.
An armed home invasion suspect has been charged, after he was arrested following an hours-long standoff with police, during which two people were rescued on Thursday in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, Illinois.
A Yorkville man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl for nearly four years in Chicago's far southwest suburbs.
An armed home invasion suspect is in custody after an hourslong standoff with police in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, Illinois.
It took more than three years, but charges have been filed in the deaths of two young women in Hobart, Indiana, back in 2022.
