DePaul is going to have to wait a little bit longer before opening up Big East play this season. 

The Blue Demons’ game against UConn on Dec. 23 has been postponed due to Covid-19 protocols and advice by the Connecticut Department of Public Health affecting the Huskies’ ability to play the game on Wednesday, per release. 

Instead, DePaul will play Western Illinois on Wednesday at Wintrust Arena. The two teams were supposed to play each other on Nov 25 but the game was initially canceled because the Blue Demons had to pause team activities due to positive Covid-19 test results. 

The Blue Demons have had 10 games get canceled or postponed already this season because of Covid-19 protocols, including the first five Big East games. 

DePaul has had to pause team activities three different times this season, with the most recent coming on Dec. 14 following a positive test result. The team was ready to begin the season at Iowa State on Dec. 6 but the game was canceled an hour before tipoff because of Covid-19 issues in DePaul’s team. 

The Blue Demons are now scheduled to begin conference play against Providence on Dec. 27, and are also supposed to travel to UConn on Dec. 30. DePaul currently has eight games scheduled in the month of January, but only four games in February. 

It is likely that most of the Big East games that were postponed in December will be rescheduled in February as the conference built in two weeks for playing previously missed games.