OU basketball team will face Connecticut next season

(Norman-AP) -- The Oklahoma men's basketball team will face national champion Connecticut before it starts Big 12 play next season. <br/><br/>In other non-conference play, the Sooners will play Tulsa,

Friday, July 2nd 2004, 5:52 am

By: News On 6

(Norman-AP) -- The Oklahoma men's basketball team will face national champion Connecticut before it starts Big 12 play next season.

In other non-conference play, the Sooners will play Tulsa, Purdue and Final Four contender Duke. In November, the team will play in the Great Alaska Shootout.

With at least two games against Oklahoma State and the games against Connecticut and Duke, OU will play no fewer than four contests against last year's Final Four teams.

The Duke game will happen inside Madison Square Garden in New York on December 18th. It will be televised nationally by CBS.

Coach Kelvin Sampson says the tough schedule should prepare his team for tough conference play.

The Sooners finished 20-and-11 last year.