DePaul's Naughton to Miss Remainder of Season

CHICAGO - DePaul senior guard Deirdre Naughton will miss the remainder of the 2009-10 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee.

Naughton, who entered the Northwestern game averaging 17.5 points per game this season, injured her knee in the first half of No. 15/21 DePaul's 59-55 loss to the Wildcats on Nov. 24.

"Deirdre Naughton has been the heart and soul of this basketball team," Blue Demon head coach Doug Bruno said. "To lose her for the season is a devastating blow to this team. Every team in the nation at one time or another has been forced to deal with the adversity of injuries. Losing Deirdre Naughton will test the mettle of this year's ballclub and we do expect every member of our team to step up in her absence."

Naughton, was named to the preseason Wade Watch and was a Naismith Trophy and John R. Wooden candidate prior to the 2009-10 season. A second team All-BIG EAST Conference selection and Associated Press All-American honorable mention as a junior, Naughton has scored 1,470 points in her career. She played her freshman season at Wake Forest in 2005-06 before transferring to DePaul.

The Blue Demons travel to Northern Illinois for a 3 p.m. contest in DeKalb on Saturday.