The D-League announce its 2009-10 schedule on Thursday, and it's a little bit … different.

The D-League is switching to a new, unbalanced conference alignment - seven teams in the Eastern Conference and nine in the Western.

It's also switching to a new, unbalanced schedule within those conferences. The idea of playing the teams within your division a set number of times has been cast aside.

And as a result, the slate is new, and, unbalanced.

For example, the Dakota Wizards - who have been assigned to the Eastern Conference - will play their oldest and fiercest rival, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, eight times. They will meet the Iowa Energy seven times.

But unless they meet up in the Showcase - those matchups have not been announced - the Wizards won't play the expansion Springfield (Mass.) Armor, at all, even though they are in the same conference.

Two other teams in the East, Fort Wayne and Erie, will not play in Bismarck. In turn, the Wizards will not travel to Maine, though Dakota will play host to the expansion Red Claws in their season opener Nov. 28.

Even if the schedule is a bit unusual, the Wizards say they are pleased with it. It may not make much basketball sense, but the Wizards think it makes dollars and cents.

"We think they did pretty well with the schedule," said Scott Schroeder, the Wizards director of media and public relations. "… We don't mind being in the East, because we'll still be playing the most games against Sioux Falls and Iowa."

The playoff format has not yet been announced.

Other items of note about the schedule:

n Even though the Wizards play Sioux Falls eight times, they will be done with the Skyforce by Feb. 20, their 32nd game of a 50-game slate.

n The Wizards will host Sioux Falls in their traditional New Year's Eve game. The teams will not be playing in Sioux Falls on Christmas day.

n The Wizards close out the season with seven of their last eight games on the road.

They have a seven-game homestand in January.

n The Wizards will play seven Sunday home games, same as last year, but all will start at 3 p.m.

"It makes it easier for people who are coming from out of town,"Schroeder said. "If you're coming from Dickinson or whatever, a 3 p.m. start lets you get back home earlier."

The Wizards will have only three home games on Fridays and three on Saturdays.

n Other than Sioux Falls, the only team coming to Bismarck more than twice is Maine. All three meetings between the Wizards and Red Claws will be in Bismarck.

n There are three teams in the West that Dakota will play four times - Idaho, Rio Grande Valley and Albuquerque.

This year's D-League Showcase will be in Boise, Idaho, Jan. 4-7.

n The Wizards are planning special promotions in conjunction with their 15th season.

"We have a lot of new and exciting things planned,"Wizards general manager Terri Benson said. "Each game we'll have a prize worth at least $500 as well as other things celebrating our 15th year in this great community, so it'll be a fun season."

Season tickets are on sale now. They are available through the Wizards' office (258-2255) or logging on to www.dakotawizards.com.

Wizards 2009-10 schedule

November - 28:vs. Maine. 29:vs. Sioux Falls.

December - 2:at Idaho. 5:at Idaho. 7:at Utah. 11: at Iowa. 12: at Iowa. 19:vs. Sioux Falls. 20:vs. Utah. 22:vs. Utah. 26:at Fort Wayne. 27: at Fort Wayne. 30:at Sioux Falls. 31:vs. Sioux Falls.

January - 4-7:TBA at D-League Showcase, at Boise. 8:at Sioux Falls. 10: vs. Sioux Falls. 14:vs. Iowa. 15: vs. Iowa. 17: vs. Rio Grande Valley. 19:vs. Rio Grande Valley. 22:vs. Los Angeles. 24:vs. Tulsa. 29:at Albuquerque. 30:at Albuquerque.

February - 5:vs. Maine. 6:vs. Idaho. 9:vs. Bakersfield. 10:vs. Bakersfield. 19: at Sioux Falls. 20:at Sioux Falls. 22:vs. Idaho. 25:at Erie. 26: at Erie. 28: at Fort Wayne.

March -2:vs. Albuquerque. 3: vs. Albuquerque. 5:at Tulsa. 7:vs. Los Angeles. 14:vs. Austin. 15:vs. Austin. 17:at Iowa. 19:at Erie. 20: at Erie. 22:vs. Maine. 26:at Iowa. 28:at Iowa.

April - 2:at Rio Grande Valley. 3:at Rio Grande Valley.