The DePaul Blue Demons have not played Illini basketball since 1957. It’s safe to say that the two schools don’t really like each other a whole lot. Well, detente is here because the two programs will face off this season in the Gavitt Tipoff Games, otherwise known as FOX Sports’ answer to ESPN’s B1G/ACC Challenge. Illini basketball will host the Blue Demons Friday November 17th in Champaign.
The schools sent out the Gavitt Games info just now, although it’s somewhat moot today, given how the schools handed over the news to a TV network four days ago.
Thus, it’s not even really news today, but that’s how the industry works. DePaul and Illini basketball will play each other for the first time in 60 years, but it’s a shame we’re not getting this match-up from the 1980s. The Blue Demons peaked in the late ’70s to early ’80s, while the Illini became a tremendous league power in the mid ’80s, peaking in 1989 and then peaking again in the mid 2000s.
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2017 Gavitt Games Schedule
Monday, Nov. 13
Minnesota at Providence
Tuesday, Nov. 14
Purdue at Marquette
Wednesday, Nov. 15
Butler at Maryland
Creighton at Northwestern
Indiana at Seton Hall
Thursday, Nov. 16
Xavier at Wisconsin
Nebraska at St. John’s
Friday, Nov. 17
DePaul Blue Demons at Illini basketball
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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