Blue Demons Open Big East Slate on Jan. 2

CHICAGO – The who and where will be familiar when DePaul begins BIG EAST play as the Blue Demons start the conference schedule with a Jan. 2 game against Seton Hall at Allstate Arena. DePaul concluded the 2011-12 regular season on Mar. 3 with a dominating 86-58 win over the Pirates in Rosemont.

In addition to the conference schedule, the BIG EAST released games to be televised nationally with the Blue Demons playing five of their 18 league games on ESPN2 or ESPNU.

The Seton Hall game starts the eighth year for the Blue Demons in BIG EAST play on Wednesday, Jan. 2 as DePaul begins its league slate at home for the second straight season.

Following the opener, the Blue Demons go on the road at Providence on Jan. 5 and Connecticut on Jan. 8. The matchup with the Huskies is one of two during the regular season with Connecticut making the return trip to Rosemont on Saturday, Feb. 23.

DePaul hosts Cincinnati (Jan. 15) at Allstate Arena a week after the trip to Storrs before St. John’s visits Rosemont on Jan. 19.

The Blue Demons get another week off and travel to Pittsburgh for a game on Jan. 26 before taking on St. John’s for the second time on Jan. 30 at Carnesecca Arena. The Jan. 30 game is scheduled to be televised nationally on ESPNU.

The 103rd meeting between DePaul and Notre Dame is set for Saturday, Feb. 2 at Allstate Arena on ESPN2 followed by the 104th meeting in the series on Wednesday, Feb. 13 in South Bend. Notre Dame and St. John’s are DePaul’s most common two-time foes in league play with the 2012-13 season marking the fourth time for each as repeat opponents.

February is a busy month for the Blue Demons as they are scheduled to play eight games after totaling seven contests in January.

Villanova visits Allstate Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 5 for a 6 p.m. start on ESPN2. Four days later, the Blue Demons take the 90-mile trip up I-94 to Milwaukee to play Marquette on Saturday, Feb. 9. Marquette is DePaul’s most common opponent with this season’s game as the 112th between the two sides.

After the return trip to Notre Dame on Feb. 13, Rutgers meets DePaul at Allstate Arena for an ESPNU-televised game on Saturday, Feb. 16. DePaul goes back on the road to Georgetown on Feb. 20 as Baltimore natives Montray Clemons, Cleveland Melvin and Brandon Youngreturn to their home areas to play the Hoyas.

DePaul finishes the regular season with three of five games at home starting with Connecticut on Feb. 23. After taking eventual Final Four participant Louisville to overtime last season in Rosemont, the Cardinals come back to Allstate Arena on Feb. 27 on ESPNU.

The final week of the regular season features two of three games on the road starting at USF on Mar. 3 before a trip to Syracuse on Mar. 6. Pittsburgh travels to Allstate Arena on Saturday, Mar. 9 to conclude the regular season. The Panthers are the fourth two-game opponent on the conference slate.

The remaining conference games will be produced by ESPN Regional Television for the BIG EAST Network and all BIG EAST games will be available on ESPN3. Television information and game times will be announced as it becomes available for those games and non-conference games.

Previously announced non-conference television appearances include the Cancun Challenge and SEC/BIG EAST Challenge. CBS Sports Network will broadcast DePaul’s games live from Mexico in the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 20-21 while the Nov. 30 contest at Auburn can be seen on ESPNU.

Additional non-conference television information and the 2012-13 radio broadcast schedule will be announced as it is finalized.

Season tickets are on sale now for all home games at Allstate Arena. Home games scheduled for McGrath-Phillips Arena will be sold on a single-game basis with an advanced pre-sale opportunity for season ticket holders. For more information, call (773) 325-SLAM.