Notes on DePaul.

LOUISVILLE _ Is Willie Coleman worth 27 points to DePaul?

Probably not, but the Blue Demons figured he might have helped in a 90-63 loss to Louisville. After struggling against Kansas on Thursday because of a sprained right wrist, he sat out Saturday's game.

``Willie is our senior,'' coach Pat Kennedy said. ``Today we did start four freshmen. Willie is one of our toughest competitors. We definitely need him to get back in there. He's been through these battles on the road in Conference USA.''

Coleman's replacement, freshman Rashon Burno, was 0 for 4 from the field.

``I wasn't nervous,'' Burno said. ``I was happy for my first start. At the beginning of the game we didn't control the tempo like we should. We just didn't come out ready to play from the opening tap.''

No-go, for now: Louisville is on NCAA probation because an assistant coach allegedly paid a hotel bill for the father of Cardinals player Nate Johnson.

The Cardinals, who are ineligible for the postseason, are appealing.

``They're playing for a real purpose,'' Kennedy said. ``When a program's going through some adversity, they pull together. I look at Cincinnati, and I think now Louisville. I think Louisville should be playing in the postseason if they win their appeal. I think (coach Denny Crum's) got them in a feverish pitch right now. They're playing as hard as anyone in the country right now.''

No worries: Kennedy said Saturday's debacle was a blip.

``A young team is going to hit a game or so like this during the course of a season,'' he said. ``They don't have the game-in-and-game-out experience of what it's like in college basketball, especially at this level. There's no question we'll get it back.''

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(c) 1998, Chicago Tribune.

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