ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Saint Louis University announced Wednesday the non-conference for the Saint Louis Billikens in 2024-2025, with new head coach Josh Schertz and the Billikens beginning their season on Monday, Nov. 4.
The Billikens will begin the season in Sioux Fall, South Dakota, playing against Santa Clara University as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Showcase.
The Billikens first home game at the Chaifetz Arena is set for Sunday Nov. 10 as they host Avila University.
The Billikens non-conference schedule includes a trip to Kansas City, Missouri on Nov. 22 to play against Wichita State in the Hall of Fame Classic, a trip to Normal, Illinois on Dec. 15 for the first since 1992 to play against Illinois State, and a trip to Phoenix on Dec. 22 to take on Grand Canyon, who reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.
Over Thanksgiving week, the Billikens will stay in St. Louis and host Quinnipiac and UMass Lowell for an multi-team event on Monday, Nov. 25, and Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Chaifetz Arena.
"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 non-conference schedule runs through December. The Atlantic 10 Conference schedule for the Billikens will be released in the coming weeks.