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Saint Louis University announced its men’s basketball non-conference schedule today. The 2024-25 campaign is the first for new head coach Josh Schertz.
The non-conference schedule runs through December. The Atlantic 10 Conference schedule will be released in the coming weeks. Earlier this summer, the league announced the Billikens’ home and road opponents during the conference slate (read more).
“If you had told me when we started scheduling in mid-April, with 12 games to get, that we would have this non-conference schedule, I would have been overjoyed,” Schertz said. “Our five road and neutral-site games are incredibly challenging, and our eight-game home schedule provides a number of quality opportunities against teams that will contend for their league championships.
“The goal at the beginning was to put together a non-conference schedule that, if we have success, will position us for an at-large bid, and we think we have done that.”
The season opener is Monday, Nov. 4, against Santa Clara in the previously announced Field of 68 Opening Day Showcase at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Avila University is in town for the home opener Sunday, Nov. 10. Loyola Marymount visits on Saturday, Nov. 16. Then, the Billikens head to Kansas City for the Hall of Fame Classic against Wichita State.
Over Thanksgiving week, SLU will host Quinnipiac and UMass Lowell for an MTE (multi-team event) on Monday, Nov. 25, and Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Chaifetz Arena. Last season, Quinnipiac went 24-10 and played in the CBI. UMass Lowell was 22-10 and advanced to the America East Conference championship game.
Three road trips are part of the Billikens’ schedule in December. SLU is at San Francisco on Thursday, Dec. 5. The Dons went 23-11 a season ago and were selected for the NIT.
The Billikens play at Illinois State on Sunday, Dec. 15, the first time SLU has played in Normal since 1992. It’s a rematch of last year’s game at Chaifetz Arena that was won by the Billikens, 80-71.
On Sunday, Dec. 22, the Billikens travel to Phoenix to take on Grand Canyon. The Antelopes posted a 30-5 record last year and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Visiting Chaifetz Arena in December are Jackson State (Monday, Dec. 2), Chicago State (Sunday, Dec. 8), Wofford (Wednesday, Dec. 18) and William Woods (Saturday, Dec. 28). Chicago State played in the CBI last season.
Two exhibition games will be played at Chaifetz Arena in October. Those games will be announced at a later date.
