Shortly after Oklahoma State's NCAA Tournament first-round matchup against DePaul was announced, Cowgirl coach Jim Littell said he wasn't yet too familiar with the Blue Demons' personnel.
But he knew it was a well-coached club, with women's basketball pioneer Doug Bruno taking the team he's coached for 27 seasons to its 11th consecutive Big Dance.
Here's a primer on the Cowgirls' first opponent in Durham:
Opponent: DePaul
Record: 21-11 overall, 9-7 Big East
Seed: 10
Conference: Big East
League finish: Tied for 6th
NCAA berth: At-Large
RPI rank: 27
Star player — Brittany Hrynko
Hrynko has had a breakout sophomore season, averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals and nearly five assists per contest. She shared the Big East's Most Improved Award with Connecticut's Kelly Faris.
Coach: Doug Bruno (27th season at DePaul, 531-293 career record)
NCAA Tournament history: Been 11 consecutive years; has an overall record of 10-17
Last NCAA game: Lost, 63-48, to Tennessee in the 2012 Second Round
Best NCAA run: Reached the Sweet 16 in 2006 and 2011, falling to Duke in its most recent trip to the Regional Semifinals.
Location: Chicago
Enrollment: 25,398
Best all-time player: Diana Vines, who played from 1985-89, is the school's all-time leader in points (2,504) and steals (359) and ranks second in rebounds (1,269).
Best non-basketball alum: John C. Reilly, an Academy Award-nominated actor who has appeared in more than 50 films.
History: OSU is 2-0 all-time against DePaul, including an 81-80 victory in the first round of the 1991 NCAA Tournament.
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