CHICAGO - DePaul basketball coach Jerry Wainwright announced the 2009-10 non-conference schedule today that opens on Tuesday, Nov. 17 against Columbia at Allstate Arena. The non-conference slate totals six games at Allstate Arena while the Blue Demons make two trips to Florida and spend seven days in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"Our non-conference line up of games presents our team with a number of playing styles and challenges to get us ready for the BIG EAST Conference schedule," said Wainwright. "We're going to take on some of the projected top teams from the SEC, Big Ten and Missouri Valley Conferences in tournament-type settings this year with Mississippi State in the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational and seven other strong programs at the Paradise Jam."

DePaul opens the season on Nov. 17 for the second straight year. The 2008-09 campaign opened last Nov. 17 with a 75-64 win over Albany at McGrath Arena. The 2009-10 season opener against Columbia marks the first Allstate Arena game to open a season since the beginning of the 2005-06 campaign.

The day after the season-opening game and exams for DePaul's autumn quarter, the Blue Demons head south to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the 2009 Paradise Jam. DePaul opens the three-game tournament against NCAA qualifier Northern Iowa on Friday, Nov. 20. Joining DePaul and Northern Iowa at the University of the Virgin Islands are Boston College, East Carolina, Purdue, Saint Joseph's, South Dakota State and Tennessee. Purdue reached the Sweet Sixteen last season while Boston College, Northern Iowa and Tennessee all lost their first-round games.

With a win in the first round, the Blue Demons face the winner of the East Carolina-Tennessee matchup on Sunday, Nov. 22. A loss would push the Blue Demons into a loser's bracket game on Saturday, Nov. 21. The final day of play is Monday, Nov. 23.

Following a return trip to Chicago, the Blue Demons host Detroit at Allstate Arena on Saturday, Nov. 28. The month of December opens with a game against Alabama State on Dec. 2 before a trip to Vanderbilt on Dec. 5.

DePaul is scheduled to participate in the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational on Thursday, Dec. 10 against Mississippi State. The Blue Demons and Bulldogs open a doubleheader in Tampa, Fla. on ESPN2 with Florida and Syracuse providing the action in the second game at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Blue Demons close the non-conference schedule with three of four games in Rosemont. UIC visits Allstate Arena on Sunday, Dec. 13 for a 5 p.m. start before American heads to Chicago on Wednesday, Dec. 16. DePaul hosts Texas State on Saturday, Dec. 19 before closing the non-conference schedule at Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 22. After annual meetings over the last six seasons, the Northwestern Wildcats are missing from the 2009-10 non-conference slate. The Blue Demons and Wildcats are taking a year off in the series and are scheduled to play during the 2010-11 season.

DePaul is meeting Columbia, Texas State and potentially South Dakota State for the first time next season.

Overall, the Blue Demons face at least 13 teams that played in the postseason a year ago. The BIG EAST schedule features eight teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season including four teams that reached the Elite Eight and two of the national semifinalists in Connecticut and Villanova. Additionally, three other BIG EAST programs played in the NIT, including semifinalist Notre Dame.

The BIG EAST announced the home and road opponents with the Blue Demons facing Marquette, Rutgers and St. John's twice next season. Other home opponents include Georgetown, Louisville, Providence, USF, Syracuse and West Virginia while traveling to Cincinnati, Connecticut, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Villanova. Dates, times and television information for the BIG EAST games will be released later by the conference office.

The radio schedule for the entire season will be announced when it becomes available as will additional non-conference television information.

2009-10 Opponent Information