Basketball to Host Oklahoma State, Oregon State in Non-Conference Slate

TULSA, Okla. – The University of Tulsa men's basketball team will play games against Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Wichita State and Oral Roberts as part of a 12-game non-conference schedule, as announced today by TU Head Coach Frank Haith.

The Hurricane will play six home games at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, including contests against Jacksonville State, New Orleans, Oregon State, Illinois State, Oklahoma State and Texas State. TU will play road contests against Wichita State, Oral Roberts and Little Rock, and three neutral site games at the Diamond Head Classic, Dec. 22-25, in Honolulu, Hawai'i.

The schedule features as many as seven teams that played in the postseason last year. Wichita State, Oregon State and Little Rock, as well as Diamond Head Classic participants Utah, Hawai'i and Stephen F. Austin played in the NCAA Tournament last season, while San Diego State participated in the postseason NIT.

The Golden Hurricane is coming off a 20-win season in which it earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the 15^th NCAA appearance in program history. TU returns four players with Division I experience, including two that saw action last season, and welcomed nine newcomers to the roster for the 2016-17 season.

"I am excited about this non-conference schedule, and the opportunities it presents our team this season," Haith said. "Wichita State, Oregon State and Little Rock played in the postseason last year, and we will face a strong field in Hawai'i. The home schedule features some attractive and well-known opponents for our fans, including in-state rival Oklahoma State, and we expect to be tested every night. This schedule will challenge our young team, and prepare our guys for the rigors of American Athletic Conference play."

Tulsa opens the 2016-17 season on Friday, Nov. 11 against Jacksonville State at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. It will be the first meeting between the Hurricane and the Gamecocks from Jacksonville, Ala.

TU then plays at Wichita State on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The Golden Hurricane defeated the Shockers, 77-67, last season at the Reynolds Center. The most-played rivalry in program history, WSU holds a slim, 64-61, series advantage.

The Hurricane will play a pair of home games against New Orleans (Nov. 19) and Oregon State (Nov. 22) leading into Thanksgiving week.

It will be the first meeting between Tulsa and the Privateers of New Orleans. TU and Oregon State are tied 1-1 in the series, including a 76-71 OSU win in Portland, Ore., last season. The Hurricane won the first contest, 59-57, in 1998.

The PSO Mayor's Cup rivalry renews on Monday, Nov. 28, when TU travels across town to play at Oral Roberts at the Mabee Center. The Golden Hurricane leads the series, 32-19.

Tulsa then plays at Little Rock on Saturday, Dec. 3, to take on the Trojans, which went 30-5 last season and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It will be the eighth straight year the two schools have met, and TU leads the series, 5-4.

TU plays three straight home games in mid-December, before closing out non-conference play at the Diamond Head Classic.

Tulsa plays host to Illinois State on Wednesday, Dec. 7. It will be the 32^nd meeting between former Missouri Valley Conference rivals. This will be the first meeting between the schools since the 1995-96 season, and the Hurricane holds a 16-15 series lead on the Redbirds.

The Golden Hurricane welcomes in-state rival Oklahoma State to the Reynolds Center on Saturday, Dec. 10. Tulsa defeated the Cowboys in Stillwater last season, 66-56. This will be the first meeting at the Reynolds Center since the 2009-10 season, when TU won 86-65 in front of a sellout crowd.

TU closes out the home non-conference slate against Texas State on Saturday, Dec. 17. Tulsa leads the series against the Bobcats, 4-0, including an 84-46 win in the last meeting during the 2003-04 season.

The Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic takes place Dec. 22-25 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Hawai'i, Illinois State, San Diego State, San Francisco, Southern Miss, Stephen F. Austin and Utah join Tulsa in the field. The bracket pairings and game times will be announced at a later date.

Tulsa will play two exhibition games in early November, facing Oklahoma Christian on Wednesday, Nov. 2 and Northeastern State on Monday, Nov. 7 at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

The 18-game American Athletic Conference schedule will be announced at a later date.

Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane. Follow Tulsa Men's Basketball on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TUMBasketball.

2016-17 TULSA BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Date	Day	Opponent
NOVEMBER
2	Wed.	OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (Exh.)
7	Mon.	NORTHEASTERN STATE (Exh.)
11	Fri.	JACKSONVILLE STATE
16	Wed.	at Wichita State
19	Sat.	NEW ORLEANS
22	Tues.	OREGON STATE
28	Mon.	at Oral Roberts %
DECEMBER
3	Sat.	at Little Rock
7	Wed.	ILLINOIS STATE
10	Sat.	OKLAHOMA STATE
17	Sat.	TEXAS STATE
22-25	Tues.	Diamond Head Classic^
^Diamond Head Classic at Honolulu, Hawai'i
%PSO Mayor's Cup

Basketball to Host Oklahoma State, Oregon State in Non-Conference Slate

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