Chicago State’s full schedule for the 2014-15 season has been on the school’s website for a few weeks now, so it’s about time The Catch and Shoot took a closer look at the Cougars’ non-conference opponents and marquee conference games.
Tracy Dildy certainly decided to challenge his group early as the Cougars open on the road against a pair of Power 6-conference schools. Their first game is Nov. 14 at Arizona State, and two days later they play at Creighton. Neither school has as much talent as it did last year, but dealing with Arizona State’s batch of talented transfers and Creighton’s strong backcourt of Austin Chatman and Devin Brooks are tall tasks to begin the season.
Chicago State then returns home for what should be a pair of easy wins against NAIA opponents IU-Northwest and Trinity Christian.
The Cougars hit the road once more to finish November. They will head to Oakland, Michigan, for a three-game round robin, where they will face Sun Belt contender Georgia State, Western Carolina and Oakland University.
To kick off December, Chicago State hosts DePaul in a Chicago rivalry game Dec. 4. The Cougars took the Blue Demons into overtime last season, but the Blue Demons prevailed on their home floor. DePaul has won this matchup four straight seasons, but the last three have been quite close.
The Cougars’ next four games against Division I competition are on the road, with a Division II game against Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) wedged in on Dec. 20. Chicago State travels to MAC favorite Toledo, then rising MVC competitor Southern Illinois, then Conference USA contender Western Kentucky, and finally an easier game against SIU-Edwardsville.
The Cougars end 2014 with a home game against Omaha and a road meeting with Green Bay. They have a single non-conference game slated in January at Bowling Green.
WAC play begins Jan. 10 for Chicago State with a matchup at UTPA. The Cougars alternate having two road games then two home games, except for a three-game home stand at the start of February and a lone road game against New Mexico State to end the regular season.
2014-15 Chicago State Schedule
Early prediction: 11-20, 5-9 WAC
* = WAC game; # = neutral site
Nov. 14—at Arizona State
Nov. 16—at Creighton
Nov. 18—vs. IU-Northwest (NAIA)
Nov. 22—vs. Trinity Christian (NAIA)
#Nov. 24—vs. Georgia State
Nov. 25—at Oakland
#Nov. 26—vs. Western Carolina
Nov. 29—at Notre Dame
Dec. 4—vs. DePaul
Dec. 6—at Toledo
Dec. 14—at Southern Illinois
Dec. 17—at Western Kentucky
Dec. 20—vs. Saint Joseph’s (NCAA Division II)
Dec. 22—at SIU-Edwardsville
Dec. 29—vs. Omaha
Dec. 31—at Green Bay
Jan. 3—at Bowling Green
*Jan. 10—at UTPA
*Jan. 17—at UMKC
*Jan. 22—vs. Seattle
*Jan. 24—vs. Bakersfield
*Jan. 29—at Utah Valley
*Jan. 31—at Grand Canyon
*Feb. 5—vs. New Mexico State
*Feb. 7—vs. UTPA
*Feb. 14—vs. UMKC
*Feb. 19—at Bakersfield
*Feb. 21—at Seattle
*Feb. 26—vs. Grand Canyon
*Feb. 28—vs. Utah Valley
*March 7—at New Mexico State
