Men's Basketball to Face Challenging Slate in 2004-05

CHICAGO – DePaul will play 16 home games and face 11 teams that reached postseason play a year ago during the 2004-05 season it was announced today by Blue Demon Head Coach Dave Leitao.

“Once again this season one of our goals was to provide the college basketball fans of Chicago with local match-ups and we have succeeded in that. The entire non-conference portion is very demanding,” Leitao said. “We have a solid group of veterans returning who realize that the non-conference season will be a good test in preparation for the rigors of the always-tough Conference USA season. We know how strong C-USA is and it will be another challenging league night in and night out again this year.”

The Blue Demons welcome back 10 letterwinners including three starters from a 22-10 squad that won a share of the Conference USA regular season title and the program’s first NCAA Tournament game since 1989, bowing out in the second round to eventual national champion Connecticut.

This season will be the final one for DePaul as a member of C-USA before the Blue Demons join the BIG EAST Conference in 2005-06.

The 2004-05 campaign kicks off on November 20 when Bowling Green State comes to the Allstate Arena. Following the opener are home games against Eastern Illinois (November 23), Northern Illinois (November 28) and Dayton (December 1), DePaul’s first round opponent in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.

The initial road test of the 2004-05 campaign is slated for December 4 when the Blue Demons travel to Bradley for the first time in 10 years. After a visit from IUPUI on December 6, DePaul will have consecutive road games at Notre Dame (December 11 on ESPN) and Northwestern (December 15). The local flavor continues on December 18 when UIC arrives at the Allstate Arena to renew that rivalry for the first time since 1981. The 2004 portion of the season concludes on December 30 when Rhode Island comes to Rosemont.

The 2005 end of the schedule kicks off on January 2 with the final non-conference contest of the season as Old Dominion visits the Allstate Arena.

The Blue Demons will begin defense of their C-USA crown on January 6 when they open the league season at Cincinnati (on ESPN2). The first C-USA home game will be on January 8 as Houston comes to the Allstate Arena. January also features home games with Marquette (January 20 on ABC) and East Carolina (January 22). DePaul travels to Tulane (January 15), Memphis (January 27 on ESPN2) and Southern Miss (January 29) in the first month of the year.

The February portion of the slate has home games with TCU (February 1), Cincinnati (February 12 on ESPN2), USF (February 23) and Saint Louis (February 26) while road contests will take DePaul to Saint Louis (February 5), Charlotte (February 16) and Marquette (February 20 on ABC).

The Blue Demons will close out the regular season with a road trip to UAB (March 2) and a visit to the Allstate Arena from Louisville (March 5 on ESPN2).

The annual C-USA Tournament will be played March 9-12 at the new FedEx Forum in Memphis.

2004-05 DePaul Basketball Schedule

Nov. 20 - Bowling Green State      

Nov. 23 - Eastern Illinois

Nov. 27 - Northern Illinois

Dec. 1 - Dayton

Dec. 4 - at Bradley          

Dec. 6 - IUPUI   

Dec. 11 - at Notre Dame (ESPN)           

Dec. 15 - at Northwestern

Dec. 18 - UIC

Dec. 30 - Rhode Island

Jan. 2 - Old Dominion

Jan. 6 - at Cincinnati* (ESPN2)

Jan. 8 - Houston*

Jan. 15 - at Tulane*

Jan. 20 - Marquette* (ESPN2)

Jan. 22 - East Carolina*

Jan. 27 - at Memphis* (ESPN2)

Jan. 29 - at Southern Miss*

Feb. 1 - TCU*

Feb. 5 - at Saint Louis*

Feb. 12 - Cincinnati* (ABC)

Feb. 16 - at Charlotte*

Feb. 20 - at Marquette* (ABC)

Feb. 23 - USF*

Feb. 26 - Saint Louis*

Mar. 2 - at UAB*

Mar. 5 - Louisville* (ESPN2)

Conference USA Tournament – Memphis, Tenn.

Mar. 9 - First Round

Mar. 10 - Quarterfinals

Mar. 11 - Semifinals

Mar. 12 - Finals

* Conference USA Game

DePaul University Athletics

Men's Basketball to Face Challenging Slate in 2004-05

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