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.
Chicago police are investigating a sex assault that happened on Christmas Eve on the city's West Side.
Chicago police are looking for a tow truck driver who they said shot at a woman after a minor crash overnight.
Metra Milwaukee District North Line trains are running with "extensive delays" to and from Chicago's northern suburbs on Friday morning.
Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash that caused an SUV to crash into a building in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
Two teens were injured in separate shootings overnight in Chicago.
Strikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria come after President Trump spent weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
Pope Leo XIV has revealed he privately urged Gov. JB Pritzker not to sign a bill legalizing medical assistance in dying in Illinois.
President Trump invoked a law called Title 10 to bring members of the Illinois National Guard under federal service over the objections of state and local leaders.
A host of new laws in Illinois will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. From gun safety to rogue towers, protection from squatters, medical assistance in dying, protections for immigrants and more, here are some of the most notable changes in the new year.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
It's the holiday season, which means it's the most common time of year for norovirus to spread. Here's what you need to know about this winter stomach bug.
A study conducted in part by Chicago's Northwestern Medicine found that tanning beds not only triple the risk of melanoma, but can also damage DNA across nearly the whole skin surface.
An investigation into the case of a Michigan man who contracted rabies after an organ transplant provided more details on the infection's origin.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium to Northwest Indiana, even though they already own land in Arlington Heights and have also proposed a new lakefront stadium in Chicago.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
The singer said an MRI showed a cancerous spot on one of his lungs after he recovered from a lengthy bout of bronchitis.
James Ransone, the actor who played Ziggy Sobotka in the HBO series "The Wire" and appeared in many other TV shows and movies, has died.
Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is hosting "The Phantom of the Opera," and staff offered a firsthand look at the iconic chandelier inside the theater this week.
The special features interviews with Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell and Mandy Patinkin.
Parts of the Northeast are preparing for winter weather this week.
We often make the wrong choices simply because we buy into myths about food. Here are some food truths.
Chicago police are investigating a sex assault that happened on Christmas Eve on the city’s West Side.
Chicago police are looking for a tow truck driver who they said shot at a woman after a minor crash overnight.
A man is in custody for a stabbing and bleach attack at a tire factory in central Japan Friday.
Two teens were injured in separate shootings overnight in Chicago.
Metra Milwaukee District North Line trains are running with "extensive delays" to and from Chicago's northern suburbs on Friday morning.
Chicago police are investigating a sex assault that happened on Christmas Eve on the city's West Side.
A host of new laws in Illinois will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. From gun safety to rogue towers, protection from squatters, medical assistance in dying, protections for immigrants and more, here are some of the most notable changes in the new year.
Chicago police are looking for a tow truck driver who they said shot at a woman after a minor crash overnight.
Cameras not working, video evidence missed by police and a psychic that leads a hit and run victim's son to a clue that changes the case
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
Lawmakers in Springfield are looking to address the high water bills being reported in some suburbs from customers of Illinois American Water.
Electric bills in the Chicago area could go up as much as $70 in the next three years because of data centers, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
Advocates and legislators are seeking solutions and and accountability for a pattern of Chicago police arresting Black gun owners on firearms charges despite valid FOID and CCL licenses.
One year ago, the Chicago Bears were fighting for draft positioning. Now they've clinched a playoff spot in the first year of a new coaching regime.
As the 11-4 Chicago Bears prepare for their Sunday night matchup with the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers, one player earned an extra Christmas present from the league thanks to his impressive performance against the Green Bay Packers.
Travis Konecny scored and added his 300th career assist, leading the Philadelphia Flyers past the Blackhawks 3-1 and handing depleted Chicago its sixth straight loss.
The Bulls trailed 117-107 but closed the game on a 19-6 run.
Three Chicago Bears players have been named to the 2026 NFC Pro Bowl roster: safety Kevin Byard III, center Drew Dalman, and left guard Joe Thuney.
A woman was released on electronic monitoring Wednesday after authorities said she drove drunk and caused a crash that injured a family of four in Lombard, Illinois.
Multiple cars were broken into this week in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Four women have been charged with leading police on a high-speed chase after stealing from a retail store in the west Chicago suburb of Villa Park.
A woman has been charged with attacking four people at a CTA bus stop in the Lawndale neighborhood, including a woman she allegedly slashed with a broken beer bottle after threatening that woman's mother.
Three teens have been charged with sexually assaulting a classmate this past summer at a graduation party for St. Viator High School students.
