1978 DePaul Basketball: The Blue Demons Join The National Elite
DePaul was coming off a disappointing season in 1977 where injuries prevented the Blue Demons from gaining any consistency. Ray Meyer’s program had been consistently running a step behind Notre Dame and Marquette, their rivals as independent Catholic basketball programs in the Midwest. In 1978, DePaul made a huge step forward, joining the Irish and Warriors in the national elite.
THE FOUNDATION
Dave Corzine was one of the best centers in the country and the 6’11” senior averaged 21 points/11 rebounds. Senior forward Joe Ponsetto averaged a 13/7 line. Gary Garland Curtis Watkins were double-digit scorers and quick defenders in the backcourt. DePaul didn’t have a lot of depth, but when healthy—and they were in 1978—they had a well-balanced lineup.
A QUIET CLIMB
There wasn’t a lot in the way of expectations when the season began, and DePaul was unranked in the preseason polls. They also didn’t face much in the way of early competition. The schedule was soft until mid-January. It allowed the Blue Demons to roll to a 13-1 start.
That early schedule still accomplished several things. It allowed DePaul to demonstrate consistency against inferior teams, something that had been missing in 1977. It helped them build momentum and confidence. And it got them into the national rankings at #18 by the time they went to Marquette.
PROVING GROUND
The Warriors, in their first year post-Al McGuire, were the defending national champions and ranked #2 in the country. DePaul dropped an 80-74 decision. Marquette still appeared to be the best of the Midwest Catholic independents, but DePaul had played them competitively on the road.
What’s more, Meyer’s team built on that. They knocked off a good Dayton team. On January 28, the Blue Demons took on a Catholic independent from the East—NCAA Tournament bound Providence came to Chicago and DePaul sent them home with a 78-68 loss. Then they went to Creighton to face another team headed for the NCAAs and got an 85-82 win.
After cruising through a couple of easy games, DePaul was poised to go to Notre Dame. The Blue Demons were up to #11 in the polls.
A STATEMENT IN SOUTH BEND
Digger Phelps had turned the Fighting Irish into a consistent national contender, and they were ranked #4 in the country. On this Sunday afternoon in South Bend, DePaul and Notre Dame played a classic.
DePaul led by two at the half and the game was razor-tight all the way through. At the end of regulation, were tied 61-61. In overtime, the Blue Demons fell behind 68-63. It looked like this road trip would end the same way the one to Marquette had—as a noble effort that would fall short.
But this would be different. Garland scored. Reserve guard Clyde Bradshaw came up with a steal and a basket. Another backup guard, Randy Ramsey forced a turnover. DePaul missed their chance to get the lead and had to foul, but Notre Dame missed a chance to salt the game away when they missed the front end of a one-and-one.
The Blue Demons had one last chance. Garland pulled up for a jumper with 0:10 on the clock and hit it. DePaul had a dramatic 69-68 win. Corzine finished with 23 points. Any lingering doubts about whether DePaul was on a par with their local rivals was gone.
RISING IN THE POLLS
Winning in South Bend vaulted the Blue Demons into the national top 10. They cruised through three easy road games and set themselves up for the home finale with Illinois State. The Redbirds were ranked #13 in the country.
After digging themselves an early 11-2 hole, DePaul got even by halftime and eventually pulled away to win 96-84. They finished the season 24-2, ranked #4 in the nation and were primed for the NCAA Tournament.
THE MARCH LANDSCAPE
The world of March Madness was very different in 1978 than it is today. Only 32 teams qualified, so the first game didn’t happen until Saturday. This was also the last year the bracket was unseeded. DePaul was the highest-ranked team in their Midwest Regional, but there was no “#1 seed” as we would understand it today.
But there was still plenty of opportunity for drama—on the far side of the bracket, potentially waiting in the Elite Eight (a term that didn’t yet exist) was sixth-ranked Notre Dame.
RALLYING PAST CREIGHTON
But first things first. DePaul would travel to Wichita for a rematch with Creighton. The Bluejays record was a modest 17-7, but they had won a Missouri Valley Conference that included Larry Bird’s Indiana State. Creighton was led by 6’8” forward Rick Apke, who averaged 18/8. John Johnson in the backcourt and David Wesley at the other forward spot balanced the lineup.
And Creighton came out blazing, shooting 72 percent in the first half. Their lead grew as high as twenty points. In this era with no shot clock and no three-point line, the favored Blue Demons were looking at a disappointing exit.
But DePaul didn’t quit. They chipped the lead down to fourteen by halftime and then made their move in the second half. Garland led all scorers with twenty points. Corzine posted a 19/11 line. DePaul surged to a 57-56 lead by the nine-minute mark. Creighton halted the momentum, and the game went back and forth down to the wire. William Dise, a DePaul reserve, went to the free throw line in a 78-78 tie game and 0:31 left. Dise hit both shots. Corzine served as the DePaul closer. Twice in the closing half-minute, he rebounded an Apke miss. Then he won a jump ball that sealed the win. It had been a thrilling struggle, but DePaul survived.
It was on to Lawrence and Allen Field House for the regionals.
AN DOUBLE-OT EPIC WITH LOUISVILLE
Louisville was waiting in the Sweet 16. Darrell Griffith, a talented sophomore who would lead the Cardinals to a national championship by 1980, averaged 19ppg and was one of four double-digit scorers. Denny Crum’s program had been to a Final Four as recently as 1975 and they were ranked #9 in the country. And this battle with DePaul would be one for the ages.
A 14-4 run early in the second half seemed to give the Blue Demons control, with a 54-43 lead. But the lead slowly slipped away and by the end of regulation, we were tied 74-74.
Watkins was playing well for DePaul and the biggest of his 16 points came at the end of the first overtime. Trailing 82-80, he got one of his eight rebounds and the follow-up shot sent us into a second overtime.
On a night with so many good performances, no one was better than Corzine. He went off for 46 points. His last points of the night were the last points scored by either team—a basket with 0:20 left in the second overtime that gave DePaul a 90-89 lead. With a defensive stop, the Blue Demons survived.
Two overtimes, two great programs and Corzine putting on what remains one of the great individual performances this tournament has ever seen. The DePaul-Louisville game in the 1978 Sweet 16 is an under-the-radar gem in NCAA Tournament history.
DePaul was set to face Notre Dame for the right to go to the Final Four.
RUNNING OUT OF GAS
The depth problem was one DePaul had overcome all year, but it proved too much in this Palm Sunday afternoon against Notre Dame. The Blue Demons played well for the first fifteen minutes of the first half and looked in good shape. But fatigue set in and the Irish moved to a 37-33 lead by halftime.
Getting rest rejuvenated DePaul and they were right there with a chance to win as the game moved into the latter part of the second half. Garland scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. While Corzine was never going to match his performance against Louisville, his 17/7 line while playing with a dislocated finger was good by any other standard.
But fatigue set in one more time. It showed in the rebounding numbers, as DePaul lost the board battle by a decisive 43-32. Notre Dame pulled away down the stretch, handing the Blue Demons an 84-64 loss that was much more competitive than the score made it show.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE AGUIRRE ERA
Meyer had called this 1978 DePaul edition his best team. With Corzine and Ponsetto leaving, it would have been easy to think a major opportunity had been missed. But that wasn’t the case. One of the top recruits in the country, Mark Aguirre, was on the way for 1979. Garland and Watkins would be back, and Bradshaw came into his own. And in 1979, DePaul made the Final Four.