ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University announced its men's basketball non-conference schedule today. The season begins Monday, Nov. 3, against Southeast Missouri at Chaifetz Arena. 

The non-conference schedule runs through December. The Atlantic 10 Conference schedule will be released in September. Earlier this summer, the league announced the Billikens' home and road opponents during the conference slate (read more).

"We are excited about the challenges and opportunities this year's schedule affords us," SLU head coach Josh Schertz said. "The chance to play 10 non-conference games in front of our fans is fantastic, and with a blend of some local teams along with elite programs like San Francisco and Grand Canyon coming to Chaifetz Arena, we will certainly be challenged. 

"Our trip to California over Thanksgiving will be great not only from a destination perspective, but competitively as well as we will play three high-level games on that swing," Schertz said. "We are looking forward to the journey ahead and can't wait to see everyone in Chaifetz on November 3!"

Following the season opener Nov. 3 against SEMO, the Bills welcome Chicago State (Thursday, Nov. 6) and Lindenwood (Monday, Nov. 10) to Chaifetz Arena to wrap up the first week of play.

Grand Canyon, which has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in four of five years under head coach Bryce Drew, comes to Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, Nov. 15. It will be a rematch of last year's thriller in Phoenix that went down to the wire before the Lopes pulled out the win.

The season-opening five-game homestand concludes on Friday, Nov. 21, when the Billikens host Purdue-Fort Wayne as part of the Acrisure Series.

Over Thanksgiving week, the Billikens are in Palm Desert, Calif., for the Acrisure Invitational. They take on Santa Clara on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) and will face either Stanford or Minnesota the next day, Nov. 28.  

The Bills will play a third game during the California trip, taking on LMU in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The Billikens topped the Lions last season at Chaifetz Arena.

SLU concludes the non-conference slate with another five-game homestand. Central Michigan is the opponent Sunday, Dec. 7. The Bills face San Francisco Saturday, Dec. 13, in a rematch of last year's game that was won by the Dons in San Francisco.

Bethune-Cookman (Wednesday, Dec. 17), New Hampshire (Sunday, Dec. 21) and Principia (Sunday, Dec. 28) also visit Chaifetz Arena ahead of conference play beginning.

Billikens fans are invited to the free Billiken Madness, which will be held Friday, Sept. 26, at Chaifetz Arena as part of SLU's Homecoming & Family Weekend. There will be no home exhibition games.