DePaul's Keisha Hampton returns to her Philly roots to take on Duke

On the way to Temple University's Liacouras Center on Saturday - where two NCAA tournament Philadelphia Regional semifinals will take place on Sunday - the bus carrying the DePaul women's basketball team took a detour to pass Engineering and Sciences High at nearby 16th and Norris.

That was where Blue Demons star Keisha Hampton powered the 2008 squad to its first Public League title in 11 years with 20.2 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. And that was the year that the 6-foot-2 Hampton led E&S to a school record for wins in a 25-5 season.

An all-Big East freshman first-teamer, Hampton has started every game since she arrived at DePaul. She is now a junior.

"It was fun," Hampton said about looking out the window at her old school. "I was excited to see my school, and for my DePaul family to see my school where I played basketball, and where I spent four years of my life."

"I wish we could have been there earlier so we could take her in and actually practice on her high school court," DePaul coach Doug Bruno said.

Of course, Bruno didn't bring Hampton back in town just to visit her roots.

A 2011 first team all-Big East forward who has guard skills, Hampton will lead third-seeded DePaul (29-6) into a Sweet 16 game against No. 2 Duke (31-3) at 2:30 p.m. In the first game of a doubleheader, top-seeded Connecticut (34-1) will meet No. 5 Georgetown (24-10) at noon.

The winners will move on to Tuesday's regional final with a spot in the Final Four there for the taking.

DePaul, which earned its date with Duke by defeating Navy and first-round host Penn State, is in the NCAA tournament for the ninth year in a row. The Blue Demons win total is a school record.

Hampton, a unanimous all-league pick, decided the Penn State game in the Blue Demons' favor by making two free throws with 4.9 seconds left. She has reached 1,364 points, and brings 2011 averages of 16.1 points and 4.9 rebounds back to Philadelphia.

She also is carting memories of playing basketball at Tustin Playground at 59th and Columbia in West Philadelphia.

"I played there a lot," Hampton said. "A lot with my brother. I played against my cousins. [Against] boys a lot growing up."

Hampton's father, John, played for Hall of Fame coach John Chaney at Cheyney State when the team won the Division II national championship in 1978, and made the Final Four in '79. Her brother, John, played at Mansfield University and now is coaching at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y.

The last time family and friends saw Hampton play in the Philadelphia area, she collected 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and threw in a block for good measure in a 64-45 victory over Villanova.

"Playing in the Big East night-in and night-out, you get defenses where they're not going to let you catch the ball," Hampton said. "I think playing in the Big East has definitely prepared us for a game against Duke."

Hampton appeared to be receiving treatment near the end of the DePaul practice on Saturday, but a team spokesperson said she was just stretching.

Duke, which has an eight-game winning streak, is in the NCAA tournament for the 17th straight year.

"You're really excited and trying to move forward," said fourth-year Blue Devils coach Joanne McCallie, whose team advanced with wins over Tennessee-Martin and Marist at home in Durham, N.C. "You're really excited to see if you can get to Game 6 and win it. I've been in Game 6, and didn't win it. I know how hard it is."

McCallie's shot at the national championship came while she was at Michigan State in 2005. This season, her Duke squad tied for the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season crown and then won the league tournament. Under McCallie, Duke has reached the Sweet 16 three times, making the Elite Eight last season.