The news for DePaul went from bad to worse on Monday as the struggling Blue Demons announced in a school-issued release that senior forward Cleveland Melvin is no longer with the men’s basketball program.
“DePaul senior forward Cleveland Melvin is no longer enrolled at DePaul, and therefore no longer part of the DePaul basketball program,” the statement read.
Melvin had been held out of DePaul’s previous four games and was one of the school’s all-time leaders in points, scoring average, rebounds, blocks, field goals and free throws.
A native of Baltimore, Melvin was the 2011 Big East Rookie of the Year but could never lead DePaul over the hump as the program struggled mightily during Melvin’s years with the team. Melvin was DePaul head coach Oliver Purnell’s first official signee at DePaul.
The senior was averaging 16.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 20 games at DePaul this season while shooting 47 percent from both the field and the three-point line.