DePaul will enter the Saturday's game at the Bradley Center with a slightly deceiving 9-9 record, having won seven of their last nine games after starting the year 2-7.,”At first glance, Marquette and DePaul appear to be two teams heading in different directions.

DePaul will enter this Saturday's game at the Bradley Center with a slightly deceiving 9-9 record, having won seven of its last nine games after starting the year 2-7. Marquette, on the other hand, has lost three of five games since starting Big East play.

DePaul, with a 4-2 record in conference play, sits one game behind Georgetown in a tie for second in the Big East. Marquette, owners of a 3-3 conference record, rest in a tie for 10th.

A second glance reveals that, while recent records may be misleading, the two teams really are heading in different directions – Marquette toward a high-paced transition game, and DePaul toward a controlled half-court affair.

"We're averaging about 74 or 75 points per game," said DePaul Assistant Coach Ramon Williams. "Our tempo has picked up a bit this year, but we don't want to get into a running match with Marquette."

Conversely, the Golden Eagles will likely have no interest in engaging in a slow, plodding battle with DePaul. During back-to-back beatings at the hands of Louisville and Connecticut, Marquette shot just 36.5 percent from the floor. Against Louisville, the Golden Eagles were 0-12 from 3-point range.

"You win because you execute, you play defense and you play with great intensity," head coach Tom Crean said after a 92-66 win over Notre Dame earlier this year. "We have to pressure the ball; we have to be disciplined."

Ball pressure drives the Marquette defense to create turnovers, which, in turn, drives the Golden Eagles' offense. In the win over Notre Dame, the Golden Eagles forced 24 turnovers. In subsequent defeats to Louisville and Connecticut, they forced 16 and 13, respectively.

Williams said the Blue Demons will rely on veteran guards like Milwaukee-native Draelon Burns, who enters the contest averaging 17.9 points per game, to resist the Marquette pressure.

"We've got to utilize (our guards') experience," Williams said. "We've got to make sure we execute and not turn over the ball. We can't let the crowd affect us."

The other Blue Demon who figures to be a big factor in Saturday's game—especially given Marquette's recent inability to control post players like Notre Dame's Luke Harangody (29 points, 14 rebounds) and Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet (15 points, 7 rebounds)—is freshman center Mac Koshwal.

Williams called the 6-foot-10 Koshwal, who averages 11.1 points per game and 7.9 rebounds, a "tremendous rebounder who goes hard on every play."

Despite recent struggles, Marquette is still ranked No. 21 and holds an unblemished 10-0 record at the Bradley Center this season—a fact not lost on Williams and the Blue Demons.

Still, Williams said that while road teams in the Big East Conference have not fared well this season, he thinks the Blue Demons can exploit Marquette's weaknesses, particularly in the post.

The setting "does affect the players somewhat, but you really have to try and not let it affect you as a team," Williams said. "We've got to be physically tough, but even more importantly we have to be mentally tough.

"We are going to continue to do what we've done in league play so far this year. Marquette's guard-play is tremendous, but if we can establish a good inside-outside game.that's really important."

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