DePaul Hosts Eight Non-Conference Games

CHICAGO – Eight home non-conference games that include seven at Allstate Arena highlight the non-conference portion of the 2012-13 men’s basketball schedule. DePaul kicks off the season on Nov. 9 against UC Riverside at McGrath-Phillips Arena before hosting two games at Allstate Arena for the Cancun Challenge.

Following an exhibition game against Lewis on Nov. 3, the Highlanders of UC Riverside make their first visit to DePaul on Friday, Nov. 9. The game marks the third straight year that the Blue Demons have opened the season at McGrath-Phillips Arena. DePaul is 6-1 all-time in games at the Lincoln Park facility.

The Cancun Challenge features two home games for DePaul at Allstate Arena on Nov. 15 and 17. The Blue Demons host two of four teams from the Mayan Division that includes Austin Peay, Gardner-Webb, Howard and Western Carolina. DePaul travels to the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico for two games against teams in the Riviera Division that also includes Iowa, Western Kentucky and Wichita State. The games in Cancun are scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21. Triple Crown Sports – organizers of the Cancun Challenge – will announce tournament pairings and television information when it is finalized.

Fairfield travels to Rosemont on Nov. 27 before DePaul plays at Auburn on Nov. 30 as part of the SEC/BIG EAST Challenge. The Blue Demons meet Fairfield for the first time since the 2002-03 season and face Auburn for the first time in program history.

The month of December starts at Chicago State on Dec. 5 for DePaul’s first trip to Chicago State before Milwaukee visits Allstate Arena for the second straight season on Dec. 9.

DePaul makes its final non-conference trip of the regular season to Arizona State on Dec. 12. DePaul defeated Arizona State, 68-64, last season at the Old Spice Classic in Buena Vista, Fla. The game is the first true road game at a Pac-12 school since playing at California in Dec. 2008. The Blue Demons played UCLA in 2008 and Stanford in 2010 in neutral site settings.

The non-conference schedule concludes with three straight home games against Northern Illinois, Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Loyola-Chicago. NIU takes the trip to Allstate Arena on Dec. 16 followed by UMBC on Dec. 22. Loyola makes its way from Rogers Park to Rosemont on Dec. 29 for the final non-conference game of the 2012-13 regular season.

DePaul returns its top four scorers in juniors-to-be Cleveland Melvin, Moses Morgan and Brandon Young and rising sophomore Jamee Crockett. Melvin is the top returning scorer in the BIG EAST after averaging 17.5 points per game last season while Young averaged 14.5 points. Morgan averaged nine points per game and Crockett held a scoring average of 8.6 points per contest. The Blue Demons posted a 12-19 record in 2011-12.

In BIG EAST play, the home conference schedule includes Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova. DePaul travels to Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John's, USF and Syracuse. Dates, times and television information for the BIG EAST games will be released 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.

For ticket information, contact the DePaul ticket office at (773) 325-SLAM (7526). Season ticket deposits of $50 are being accepted now for new season ticket holders.

DePaul 2012-13 Non-Conference Schedule