1984 DePaul Basketball: Ray Meyer’s Final Run
Ray Meyer was an iconic figure in college basketball. He had been on the sidelines at DePaul since 1942 and guided the program through peaks, valleys, and a changing landscape for over four decades. Some of his best teams came at the end of his career, from the Final Four trip of 1979 to a series of nationally elite teams in the early 1980s. His last season was 1984. And while the ’84 DePaul team couldn’t get Ray back to the Final Four, they were another outstanding team that ran with the best in the country.
A BALANCED LINEUP
The Blue Demons were led by their forwards in 1984. Junior Tyrone Corbin knocked down 14ppg and averaged eight rebounds a night. Dallas Comegys, an emerging freshman star, averaged an 11/7 line. Kevin Holmes, a 6’8” sophomore chipped in 10/5.
Kenny Patterson was the quarterback, averaging six assists a night, while Jerry McMillan and Tony Jackson rounded out the backcourt.
This group of six players doesn’t jump off the page. Between that, and the fact that 1983’s NIT season was the only time in Meyer’s final seven years that he failed to make the NCAA Tournament, expectations were tempered coming in. They were ranked #18 in the preseason polls. But this group would quickly come together.
DECEMBER STATEMENTS
After a tuneup win over Northern Illinois, DePaul knocked off a 20-win squad from Ohio and then beat NCAA Tournament-bound Illinois State 69-66. After another easy win over Western Michigan, they were set to host Georgetown on December 10.
This was the Patrick Ewing Era at Georgetown, and the Hoyas went on to win the national championship. DePaul sent them back to D.C. with a 63-61 loss.
DePaul continued to win against a challenging December schedule. Alabama was headed for the NCAA Tournament and Purdue ultimately tied for the Big Ten championship. The Blue Demons beat both. DePaul went into the New Year at 9-0 and soared into the national top 5.
TESTS, CRACKS, RESILIENCE
The Blue Demons went west and survived uneven performances against Pepperdine and St. Mary’s. They came back home to play a good UAB squad, one that would make the NCAA field. This one was impressive—a 98-63 beatdown.
DePaul continued to roll through January. They beat Ivy League champ Princeton. UCLA would miss the NCAA Tournament but was ranked #15 when the Blue Demons handed them an 84-68 loss. The undefeated season marched on, as DePaul turned the corner into February at 15-0. It wasn’t flashy, but it was consistent.
February became a grind of close games and quality opponents. It started on the first Saturday of the month against, St. John’s. The Redmen were led by Chris Mullin and ended up a 9-seed in the NCAAs. In a tight game, the Blue Demons survived, 59-57.
But the run of close games finally caught up with them against St. Joe’s. A 20-win team who handed DePaul a shocking NCAA Tournament loss in 1981, edged the Blue Demons 48-45.
The bid for perfection was over, but everything else was still on the table. Notre Dame, one of DePaul’s two big Catholic independent rivals in this area (along with Marquette) was NIT-bound. The Blue Demons beat the Irish 62-54. DePaul beat another 20-win squad, crosstown rival Loyola-Chicago.
A schedule anomaly of consecutive home-and-home games with Dayton were next. The Flyers were good and ended up in the Elite Eight. The Blue Demons suffered a 72-71 loss, but immediately made it right with a 79-59 rout.
EARNING A 1-SEED
On the final Sunday in February, DePaul hosted Louisville. It was a national showcase against a program that had made three of the last four Final Fours and was headed for this year’s Sweet 16. The Blue Demons made their statement with a solid 73-63 win.
DePaul closed the regular season with five more wins, the last of which was a 64-49 win at Marquette that may have pushed their rival into the NIT.
The Blue Demons were 25-2 against a consistently competitive schedule and their losses were by a combined four points. It was no surprise when they came up as the 1-seed in the Midwest Regional on Selection Sunday.
CHALLENGES & GHOSTS
The NCAA Tournament was a 48-team bracket, meaning teams seeded 1 thru 4 were automatically placed into the Round of 32. No one at DePaul was going to take anything for granted—from 1980 through 1982, top-seeded Blue Demon teams had lost on opening weekend.
Even if they did advance into the regionals, the 2-seed was the Houston Cougars with Hakeem Olajuwon. It would be a difficult road to get Meyer to the Final Four in Seattle, even with so much of the nation rooting for the old coach, whose impending retirement was public knowledge.
A rematch with Illinois State came in the Round of 32. This year, DePaul was ready. They outshot the Redbirds 53 percent to 40 percent. The Blue Demons controlled the boards, 33-26. They got to the free throw line, converting 21/31 compared to 9/12 for Illinois State.
With Corbin going for 20 points/9 rebounds and Comegys adding 14/8, DePaul dealt with the recent ghosts of this round and won 75-61. They would move on to St. Louis.
OVERTIME HEARTBREAK
With everyone looking ahead to a DePaul-Houston regional final, perhaps 4-seed Wake Forest got overlooked. Friday night’s game with the Demon Deacons was close all the way. The Blue Demons held narrow edges in shooting and rebounding, but the free throw line was an issue. DePaul shot 9/15 from charity stripe, while Wake went 19/28. The game went to overtime.
The Sweet 16 battle was tied 71-71 in the closing seconds. Wake guard Danny Young wriggled free in the halfcourt set, got to the basket, and laid it in. DePaul’s season was over.
RAY’S LEGACY
It was a heartbreaking way to end the season and Meyer’s career. But that shouldn’t detract from the big picture. That starts with this season, and the way a team without a lot of stars rose to become a 1-seed. And it includes Meyer’s 42-year run, where he become a fixture in Chicago sports and eventually put the program squarely among the national elite.