The 2004-05 Valparaiso University men's basketball schedule includes games against national powers Duke, Cincinnati and Illinois. Valpo, the defending Mid-Continent Conference Champion, will play Duke on Sat., Dec. 4 at Chicago's United Center. The Crusaders open their regular season on Fri., Nov. 19 at Cincinnati. The home opener is Sat., Nov. 27 against Charlotte at 7:05 p.m.

Two tournaments appear on the schedule as Valpo will play four games in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic and two in the Arizona State University/azcentral.com Hoops Classic. The Las Vegas Holiday Classic will be played at host sites for the first two games. Valpo will entertain Northwestern State (La.) on Dec. 16 before traveling to oppose Illinois on Dec. 19. The Crusaders' final two games of the tourney will be played in Las Vegas Dec. 30 against Longwood University and Dec. 31 versus Northern Iowa.

Prior to journeying to Las Vegas, Valpo will play in Arizona State's tournament Dec. 28 against Penn State and Dec. 29 against either Arizona State or Long Island University.

The non-conference slate also includes a home date against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Dec. 11 and road contests against Central Michigan on Nov. 23 and Indiana State on Dec. 9.

Valpo will play its annual 16-game Mid-Continent Conference schedule. Oral Roberts comes to Valparaiso on Jan. 8 and IUPUI appears at the ARC on Feb. 12. The Mid-Con Tournament will be held March 5-8 in Tulsa, Okla.

The following is the 2004-05 Valparaiso University Men's Basketball Schedule (all times Central):

Date Opponent Time
Nov. 6 Exhibition vs. Huntington College 7:05
Nov. 13 Exhibition vs. Wisconsin-River Falls 7:05
Nov. 19 at Cincinnati 6:05
Nov. 23 at Central Michigan 6:30
Nov. 27 Charlotte 7:05
Dec. 4 Duke (at Chicago's United Center) 2:00
Dec. 9 at Indiana State 7:05
Dec. 11 Wisconsin-Milwaukee 7:05
Las Vegas Holiday Classic
Dec. 16 Northwestern State (La). 7:05
Dec. 19 at Illinois TBA
Arizona State University/azcentral.com Hoops Classic
Dec. 28 vs. Penn State TBA
Dec. 29 vs. Arizona State or Long Island Univ. TBA
Las Vegas Holiday Classic (Valley High School, Las Vegas)
Dec. 30 vs. Longwood TBA
Dec. 31 vs. Northern Iowa TBA
Jan. 4 Western Illinois* 7:05
Jan. 8 Oral Roberts* 7:05
Jan. 10 at Oakland* 7:00
Jan. 13 UMKC* 7:05
Jan. 20 at Chicago State* 7:00
Jan. 22 at Western Illinois* 8:00
Jan. 24 Oakland* 7:30
Jan. 27 at Southern Utah* 8:05
Feb. 3 at IUPUI* 6:00
Feb. 5 Centenary* 7:05
Feb. 7 Chicago State* 7:05
Feb. 12 IUPUI* 7:05
Feb. 14 at Centenary* 7:05
Feb. 17 Southern Utah* 7:05
Feb. 23 IPFW 7:05
Feb. 26 at Oral Roberts* 7:05
Feb. 28 at UMKC* 7:00
Mar. 5-8 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament (at Tulsa, Okla.)

* Mid-Continent Conference games
Home games in bold
All times Central