Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

DePaul adds junior college guard Darrick Wood

Oliver Purnell

DePaul head coach Oliver Purnell calls out to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers at the Big East Conference tournament, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

AP

With leading scorer Brandon Young out of eligibility, DePaul had some room to add another player capable of helping the Blue Demons as they look to end their lengthy stay in the Big East cellar. And on Wednesday the program made that addition, receiving a verbal commitment from Hutchinson (Kan.) CC shooting guard Darrick Wood (subscription required).

In 27 games at Hutchinson this past season Wood averaged 13.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, surpassing the 20-point mark in six games. Wood scored 27 in a win over Cloud County CC on February 19, and that was the first of three consecutive games in which he scored at least 20 points.

Wood was originally a St. John’s commitment out of high school, playing a postgraduate season at Bridgton Academy in Maine before having to go the junior college route.

DePaul will be led on the perimeter by rising sophomore Billy Garrett Jr., who won Big East Rookie of the Year honors in 2013-14. Outside of Garrett there are questions, with Durell McDonald and Charles McKinney combining to average just 9.3 points per game and R.J. Curington playing in just 17 games last season.

With that in mind head coach Oliver Purnell’s gone the junior college route, with Aaron Simpson having already signed and three of their four newcomers (forward Rashaun Stimage) being JUCO transfers. Forward Raymond Doby, who committed in December and will be a freshman next season, has yet to sign a National Letter of Intent.

Follow @raphiellej