Arkansas, Great Alaska shootout highlight schedule

<br>STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Games against Cincinnati, Arkansas and Fresno State and a trip to the Great Alaska Shootout highlight the 2002-03 basketball schedule released Wednesday by Oklahoma State.

Thursday, August 29th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Games against Cincinnati, Arkansas and Fresno State and a trip to the Great Alaska Shootout highlight the 2002-03 basketball schedule released Wednesday by Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys play host to Fresno State on Dec. 15 and Arkansas on Dec. 30. Their game with Cincinnati is Feb. 8 on the road.

The Great Alaska Shootout, which begins Nov. 27 in Anchorage, includes teams such as Michigan State, Wyoming and Villanova.

Oklahoma State will play Brigham Young in the All-College Classic on Jan. 4 in Oklahoma City. The other half of that doubleheader has Oklahoma playing Michigan State.

``Overall this is a very challenging schedule, one that will prepare our players for Big 12 Conference play,'' associate head coach Sean Sutton said. ``Having two nationally prominent programs in Fresno State and Arkansas visiting Gallagher-Iba Arena is something our players and our fans are looking forward to.''

The schedule is as follows:

November _ 12 exhibition vs. Global Sports; 18 exhibition vs. Branch West Basketball Academy; 22 vs. Yale; 27 at Great Alaska Shootout, Anchorage.

December _ 5 vs. Hartford; 8 vs. Northwestern State; 15 vs. Fresno State; 18 vs. UMKC; 21 at Wichita State; 30 vs. Arkansas.

January _ 4 vs. Brigham Young at All-College Classic, Oklahoma City; 8 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; 11 at Texas A&M; 13 vs. Oklahoma; 18 vs. Missouri; 21 at Baylor; 26 at Texas Tech; 29 vs. Iowa State.

February _ 1 at Texas; 5 vs. Kansas State; 8 at Cincinnati; 12 at Nebraska; 15 vs. Baylor; 19 at Oklahoma; 22 vs. Texas; 24 vs. Texas Tech.

March _ 1 at Kansas; 5 at Colorado; 8 vs. Texas A&M; 13-16 Big 12 Tournament at Dallas.