DePaul ended its independent status when it...
DePaul ended its independent status when it became a member of the NCAA’s newest conference, the Great Midwest.
The Blue Demons joined Alabama Birmingham, Cincinnati, Marquette, Memphis State and St. Louis in a conference that will begin basketball play in the 1991-92 season.
DePaul, passed over for an NCAA tournament bid last season with an 18-14 record, has been looking for years for a league that could help its postseason chances and simplify scheduling opponents.
The move could mean the end of the Metro Conference, which has four members after the defections of Cincinnati and Memphis State. Florida State and South Carolina earlier announced their intentions to switch conferences.
Under NCAA rules, the new league will have to wait five years before it can be considered for an automatic NCAA tournament bid.
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
