1976 DePaul Basketball: An NCAA Tournament Breakthrough

DePaul basketball came into the 1976 season needing a breakthrough. Ray Meyer’s program hadn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 1965. While making the NCAA field was considerably more difficult than it is today—only 32 teams would make it in ’76, and that was the result of a recent expansion—it still had the Blue Demons lagging behind their Midwest Catholic rivals from Marquette and Notre Dame, who were national contenders. In 1976, DePaul hoops got the lift they needed, returning to the NCAAs and doing some damage when they got there.

CORZINE & NORWOOD LEAD THE WAY

Dave Corzine anchored the frontline. The sophomore center was a future first-round NBA draft pick and he averaged 16 points/9 rebounds per game. So did another sophomore, 6’7” Joe Ponsetto. DePaul got further help in the frontcourt from the rebounding of Curtis Watkins and Andy Pancratz.

But it was Ron Norwood who led the way in 1976. The junior guard did everything. He led the Blue Demons in scoring 19ppg. He orchestrated the offense and averaged four assists. And as a junior, he was the only upperclassmen besides Pancratz to play a significant role.

AN EARLY SEASON STATEMENT

DePaul may have been young and unranked, but they made a quick statement. In a neutral-site game against NCAA Tournament-bound Memphis State, the Blue Demons won a 100-91 decision. While they lost the next night at Arizona State, DePaul quickly bounced back with a win over Drake, and then went to Louisville. Facing a Cardinal team who had made the Final Four in 1975, the Blue Demons produced an eye-opening 78-76 win.

After winning three of their next four, the DePaul hosted Providence on January 3. The Friars, coached by future Big East legend Dave Gavitt, were a consistent winner in this era, but the Blue Demons handed them a 91-66 beatdown. After beating Loyola-Illinois, DePaul was up to 8-2. They weren’t yet nationally ranked, but they were putting together a strong resume as Marquette came to town.

SETBACKS

Al McGuire was patrolling the sidelines at Marquette, and the Warrior program was at the peak of its power, eventually rising to #2 in the nation. DePaul dropped a 79-72 decision.

That was no surprise, but the bigger problem was that the defeat knocked the Blue Demons off their stride. They lost to a Niagara team coached by future Utah Jazz boss Frak Layden, and to St. Bonaventure.

On a three-game losing skid, DePaul traveled to South Bend on January 28. Digger Phelps had Notre Dame in the national conversation again, and the Blue Demons took an 89-68 beating. The strength of DePaul’s overall schedule kept them on the NCAA Tournament radar, but they were looking for answers and wondering if that nice start to the season had been a mirage.

THE TURNAROUND

But Meyer’s team dug in and turned things around. They beat Dayton and Duquesne. While a one-point loss to mediocre Rhode Island was disheartening, DePaul bounced back by winning at Indiana State and dropping 118 points on a mediocre-but-not-awful Marshall squad.

But the biggest win came on February 16. Virginia Tech, ranked 18^th and headed for the NCAAs, came to Chicago. DePaul got a clutch 73-65 win. The Blue Demons were back on the board and firmly in the race for the NCAA Tournament.

The momentum briefly crested in a rematch at Marquette, when the Blue Demons lost 64-53. But they still had two more chances to make their case. A Saturday home game with Cincinnati had the feel of must-win. The Bearcats were ranked #13 and headed for the NCAA field. It was a chance to make a major statement.

DePaul seized the moment. Corzine went off for 28 points, Ponsetto added 19 more, and the Blue Demons got an impressive 70-60 win.

A road trip to Villanova ended the regular season. The Wildcats wouldn’t make the NCAA Tournament, but Rollie Massamino’s team was pretty good. Playing them in Philadelphia was no gimmer. DePaul got it done with a 72-63 win.

When all was said and done, that long-sought invite to the NCAA field was extended. DePaul was slotted in the East Regional.

DANCING AGAIN

The NCAA Tournament was not a seeded bracket until 1979, and that lack of balance worked in DePaul’s favor. Their Round of 32 game would be against Virginia, one of the worst teams in the field and only there by virtue of winning an automatic bid in the ACC Tournament. But they were hot, this game was played in ACC country in Charlotte, and the Blue Demons trailed 37-31 at the half.

But the star of the afternoon was Norwood. He hit 11-for-15 and scored 28 points. DePaul dominated the second half and won 69-60. They could stay in North Carolina for the regionals in Greensboro the following week.

SWEET 16 HEARTBREAK

The friendly bracket continued. While Marquette, ranked #2, was in a region that had four Top 10 teams, including undefeated Indiana. DePaul would play the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in the Sweet 16. A win there would likely pit the Blue Demons against Rutgers. While the Scarlet Knights were undefeated, they weren’t as feared as the other national powers.

DePaul took a 33-31 lead over VMI at the half. But the problem was inefficiency on offense. Norwood’s 23 points came on 9-for-20 shooting. Corzine scored 14 points and pulled down 15 rebounds, but he shot 6-for-15. With 2:20 to play, the Blue Demons trailed 62-51. There was no shot clock and no three-point line in this era. It was over.

Or was it? Instead of going quietly into the Greensboro night, DePaul put on an incredible flurry. They cut the lead to 62-60 and got the ball back. Randy Hook, a reserve sophomore guard, who averaged 1.7 ppg this season, made the basket of his life to tie the game in the closing seconds. We were going to overtime.

Unfortunately, the momentum crested in OT, as DePaul was outscored 9-4 and lost the game 71-66. But the season had been a big step forward for the program. And while 1977 would see some regression, the Blue Demons were on the verge of a seven-season stretch from 1978-84 that would be the best in school history. The light was starting to shine in Chicago.