The University of Dayton men's basketball program has announced its non-conference schedule and Atlantic 10 opponents for the 2012-13 season.

The 2012-13 non-conference schedule features nine home contests at UD Arena, with seven of them on Saturday.

UD will also play road games against two BCS opponents (at Alabama and USC) and participate in the 2012 Charleston Classic.

The Atlantic 10 will compete as a 16-team league in 2012-13. Dayton's conference schedule, which begins in January, will have a new wrinkle to it with the additions of Butler and VCU.

The Flyers will play home-and-home Atlantic 10 games with Xavier, the team it has played more than any other.

In addition, Dayton will play host to Butler, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's and Temple in conference play. On the road, UD will play Charlotte, George Washington, La Salle, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Saint Louis and VCU.

Dayton’s non-conference schedule includes teams from the ACC, BIG EAST, Big 12, Conference USA, MAC, Missouri Valley, Pac-12 and SEC.

"This non-conference schedule, combined with the Charleston Classic and the additions of Butler and VCU to the Atlantic 10, will make this one of the toughest overall schedules in recent memory at the University of Dayton," head coach Archie Miller said. "There is no doubt that our team will be tested early and often with this schedule."

Five teams in the non-conference portion of the schedule participated in postseason play in 2011-12: Alabama (NCAA), Illinois State (NIT), Murray State (NCAA), Manhattan (CollegeInsider.com) and Weber State (CollegeInsider.com).

Ten A-10 teams earned postseason bids last season, with five teams in the NCAA Tournament and four more locking up a spot in the National Invitational Tournament. Nine Dayton opponents were in the top 75 of last year’s final RPI rankings, including seven in the top 50. Miller and the Flyers will open the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 10 against Arkansas State.

UD will then head south to participate in the Charleston Classic from Nov. 15-18. Joining the Flyers in the three-game, four-day event will be Baylor, Colorado, St. John’s, Auburn, Boston College, Murray State and College of Charleston. Three of those teams (Baylor, Colorado and Murray State) participated in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

It is the fifth straight exempt tournament the Flyers have played in. Last season UD won the Old Spice Classic after defeating Wake Forest, Fairfield and Minnesota.

The Flyers return home to begin a three-game homestand by hosting Manhattan on Saturday, Nov. 24. Dayton will then play Weber State on Wednesday, Nov. 28 and host Northern Illinois on Dec. 1.

The first road game of the year will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 5 against former Flyer co-captain and MVP Anthony Grant’s Alabama Crimson Tide. Last year UD defeated the Crimson Tide 74-62 at UD Arena.

Dayton then starts another stretch of four home games in a row by hosting rival Miami on Saturday, Dec. 8. With a week off for final exams, UD returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 15 by hosting Florida Atlantic. The Flyers close the home stretch against Illinois State on Wednesday, Dec. 19 and hosting Murray State on Saturday, Dec. 22. 

After a short break for Christmas, the Flyers will travel to Los Angeles to play at USC on Sunday, Dec. 30. UD finishes the non-conference schedule at home on Saturday, Jan. 5 versus Alabama-Birmingham.

UD will have two exhibition home games prior to the beginning the regular season. Dayton will host Findlay on Saturday, Oct. 27 and Ryerson University from Toronto, Ontario on Sunday, Nov. 4.

Dayton's complete schedule, including the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule, game times and the pairings for the Charleston Classic, will be announced at a later date. 

The Flyers return three starters from last season’s 2012-13 team that advanced to the NIT and won the 2011 Old Spice Classic. Leading the returnees will be All-Atlantic 10 point guard Kevin Dillard, who was second in the A-10 and tied for 16th in the NCAA in assists per game with 6.0. Dillard also led the Flyers in scoring (13.3), assists (6.0), steals (47) and minutes (32.7).