The Saint Louis University department of athletics today announced its 2005-06 men’s basketball schedule for its inaugural season in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Perennial A-10 contenders Dayton, Saint
Joseph’s, Temple and Xavier will all visit Savvis Center this season.

“It should be an exciting year for our team and our fans as we forge new
rivalries and travel into new cities and foreign arenas,” head coach Brad Soderberg said. “If we can take care of our business on the floor, we once again have put together a schedule that should help us on  Selection Sunday in March.”

The Billikens begin their A-10 schedule by hosting St. Bonaventure at
Savvis on Tue., Jan. 3. Along with entertaining perennial league  contender Xavier on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 5), SLU receives visits from 2004 national Coach of the Year Phil Martelli and Saint Joseph’s, Temple and its Hall of Fame coach John Chaney, Dayton, Fordham with its 2005 A-10 Rookie of the Year Bryant Dunston, and Rhode Island. The Billikens will return trips to Dayton, Rhode Island and Xavier along with visits to 2005 league champion and NCAA participant George Washington, 2005 NCAA participant Charlotte, Duquesne and La Salle.

Preseason accolades are piling up for the A-10 as ESPN has listed George Washington, Charlotte, Temple and Xavier among its Sizzlin’ Summer 50.  The league also boasts four Wooden Award candidates – Temple’s Mardy Collins of Temple, GW’s Pops Mensah-Bonsu, La Salle’s Steven Smith and Charlotte’s Curtis Withers.

Saint Louis plays two games, including the regular-season opener against Eastern Illinois on Tue., Nov. 22, at the St. Charles Family Arena,
because of scheduling conflicts at Savvis. The Bills entertain A-10 foe
Massachusetts at the 10,000-seat facility on Sat., Jan. 14.

After opening with EIU, the Billikens play a demanding seven-game
stretch that begins at traditional Western Athletic Conference contender
Hawaii on Nov. 26. SLU faces four 2005 NCAA Tourney teams in five games as it hosts Missouri Valley Conference champion Southern Illinois on Nov. 30, travels to Horizon League champ UW-Milwaukee on Dec. 3, entertains Jackson State on Dec. 5, travels to national champ North Carolina on Dec. 7, and pays a visit to Mid-Continent titlist Oakland
(Mich.) on Dec. 10. The Bills conclude that swing with a road test at
Southeastern Conference member Mississippi on Dec. 13.

Saint Louis closes 2005 with a four-game homestand at Savvis Center.
Kennesaw State arrives on Dec. 17, and perennial West Coast Conference champion Gonzaga visits on Dec. 22. The Bills return from Christmas to host Chicago State on Dec. 28, followed by Big 10 contender Iowa on Dec. 30.

Saint Louis played a challenging schedule last season with its schedule
strength rated 43rd in the RPI. This year, Saint Louis will have 10 games against opponents that appeared in the postseason last spring and eight games against teams that finished in the top 100 of the RPI for
2004-05.

Saint Louis will present two doubleheaders at Savvis with the Billikens’
women’s team and first-year head coach Shimmy Gray. The men and women will both face Missouri-St. Louis in exhibition games on Wed., Nov. 9, with the women tipping at 5 p.m. and the men at 7:30 p.m. On Dec. 22, the women entertain Southern Illinois at 5 p.m. followed by the men’s game against Gonzaga at 7:30 p.m.

The Billikens will play one other exhibition game at Savvis Center on
Mon., Nov. 14, against Maryville University.

Season ticket information is available by calling (314) 977-4SLU or by
visiting www.slubillikens.com. Single-game ticket information will be
available at a later date.

2005-06 BILLIKENS SCHEDULE
(All Times are Central and Subject to Change)

Date Opponent TIME

Nov.
WED. 9 UMSL (Exh.)& 7:30 P.M.
MON. 14 MARYVILLE (Exh.) 7 P.M.
TUE. 22 EASTERN ILLINOIS+ 7 P.M.
Sat. 26 at Hawai‘i Midnight
WED. 30 SIUC 7 P.M.

Dec.
Sat. 3 at UW-Milwaukee 7 P.M
Mon. 5 JACKSON STATE 7 P.M.
Wed. 7 at North Carolina 8 P.M.
Sat. 10 at Oakland 5 P.M.
Tue. 13 at Mississippi 7 P.M.
SAT. 17 KENNESAW STATE 1 P.M.
THU. 22 GONZAGA& 7:30 P.M.
WED. 28 CHICAGO STATE 7 P.M.
FRI. 30 IOWA 7 P.M.

Jan.
TUE. 3 ST. BONAVENTURE* 7 P.M.
Wed. 11 at George Washington* TBA
SAT. 14 MASSACHUSETTS*+ 7 P.M.
Wed. 18 at Richmond* TBA
Sun. 22 at Xavier* TBA
WED. 25 SAINT JOSEPH’S* 7 P.M.
SAT. 28 FORDHAM* 7 P.M.

Feb.
Wed. 1 at Rhode Island* TBA
SUN. 5 XAVIER* 1 P.M.
Sat. 11 at Dayton* TBA
Wed. 15 at Duquesne* TBA
SAT. 18 TEMPLE* 7 P.M.
WED. 22 RHODE ISLAND* 7 P.M.
Sat. 25 at Charlotte* TBA

March
WED. 1 DAYTON* 7 P.M.
Sat. 4 at La Salle* TBA

A-10 Conference Tournament / Cincinnati, Ohio
Wed. 9– A-10 Tournament TBA

Home games in Caps
* Atlantic 10 Conference Games
& Doubleheader
+ at St. Charles Family Arena
 

Check out more 2005-06 Team Schedules.