DePaul Faces Auburn in SEC/BIG EAST Challenge

CHICAGO – The matchups for the 2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge were revealed Friday with DePaul traveling to Auburn on Friday, Nov. 30. This is the second edition of the challenge that features games between 12 programs from the BIG EAST and SEC from Nov.29-Dec. 1.

DePaul and Auburn meet for the first time in November at Auburn Arena. Game time and broadcast information will be announced in August.

The Tigers finished 15-16 last season and return leading scorer Frankie Sullivan. Sullivan averaged 12.6 points per game as a junior with 60 three-pointers. Auburn lost at Seton Hall in the 2011 BIG EAST/SEC Challenge by an 81-59 margin.

DePaul returns its top four scorers in juniors-to-be Cleveland Melvin, Moses Morgan and Brandon Young and rising sophomore Jamee Crockett. Melvin is the top returning scorer in the BIG EAST after averaging 17.5 points per game last season while Young averaged 14.5 points. Morgan averaged nine points per game and Crockett held a scoring average of 8.6 points per contest. The Blue Demons posted a 12-19 record in 2011-12.

A year ago at Allstate Arena in the BIG EAST/SEC Challenge, DePaul came up on the short end of a 70-68 score against Mississippi. The Blue Demons trailed by 17 points with just over 13 minutes remaining before outscoring the Rebels, 35-16, and taking a two-point lead with 25 seconds left.

The Blue Demons also played in the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational in 2009 under a different format that featured neutral-site doubleheaders between the two conferences. DePaul dropped a 67-45 decision against Mississippi State in Tampa, Fla.

2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge

Thursday, November 29

Kentucky at Notre Dame
Marquette at Florida
South Carolina at St. John’s
Seton Hall at LSU

Friday, November 30

Syracuse at Arkansas
Tennessee at Georgetown
DePaul at Auburn
Georgia at USF

Saturday, December 1

Alabama at Cincinnati
Villanova at Vanderbilt
Mississippi State at Providence
Rutgers at Mississippi