When the DePaul women’s basketball team won the National Invitational Tournament, it shed a new light on a shadowed North Star Conference.

“Whenever you have a team in the conference that wins a national title,” said NIU Associate Athletic Director Susie Pembroke-Jones, “it serves as a building block for your own program.”

The Blue Demons captured the NSC title after finishing the season with a 27-4 overall and 9-1 conference record. But they did not receive a NCAA bid.

“I was a little disappointed that DePaul didn’t get an NCAA bid, but I was glad they went on to prove the caliber team they are,” said NSC President Jean Lenti Ponsetto.

Two of the DePaul’s victories were over NIU, who lost 94-85 and 79-69. As a credit to the Huskies .500 season (they finished with a 14-14 record, 6-4 in the NSC), five of the six teams that NIU lost to advanced to national tournaments.

“We’re still extremely excited about the season—statistically, we’re the best we’ve been,” said NIU women’s basketball coach Jane Albright said. “None of the teams really blew us away.

“When you look at the other team’s rosters, they were filled with mostly juniors and seniors. Hopefully, our young roster of freshmen and sophomores can do next year the types of things the other team’s did this year.”

Albright paid tribute to the Blue Demons, whom the Huskies battled tooth and nail this past season.

“I think it helps the credibility of the conference having a team like DePaul in it,” Albright said. “When they change their schedule to one that’s tougher, they’ll have a better chance of getting a bid.”

The impact of DePaul’s success will be spread thin. Despite the reasoning it should raise the credibility of the NSC, the Demon’s presence also must cushion the departure of Notre Dame and Dayton squads from the conference in the fall.

The Irish will leave the conference with a 20-8 overall, 7-3 in conference play. The Flyers will depart with a 15-13 record, tied with NIU’s 6-4 in the NSC.

“Dayton won’t be any loss to the conference,” said Pembroke-Jones, “but the name recognition of Notre Dame will be a loss. The strength of the North Star Conference is DePaul and NIU.”

Additions of several types are expected for next year’s season, starting with three new teams in Wisconsin-Green Bay, Cleveland State and Akron. Albright is expecting Wisconsin to be tough competition, but is not looking for as much of a battle from CSU, which is a building program.

Another addition in the developing stage, according to Albright, involves a possible expansion in teams allowed to the NCAA Tournament. A petition is being organized for the NCAA which would expand the present 40 teams allowed in the tournament to 48 teams.

“That way they won’t be locked into the conference,” Albright said. “It would help both us and DePaul.”