TULSA looks to tougher basketball schedule

<br>TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Six games against NCAA Tournament teams are on tap in the upcoming basketball season for Tulsa, including non-conference games against Arkansas and Kansas. <br><br>The Hurricane

Friday, July 20th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Six games against NCAA Tournament teams are on tap in the upcoming basketball season for Tulsa, including non-conference games against Arkansas and Kansas.

The Hurricane will also play two games each against Western Athletic Conference rivals Fresno State and Hawaii, both of which were NCAA tourney teams.

``Our schedule every year is becoming more and more competitive, which is a direct reflection on the success of this program over the past 10 years,'' first-year head coach John Phillips said in announcing the new schedule.

Tulsa, winner of last season's National Invitation Tournament, will also face Southwest Missouri State in non-conference play and will host the WAC tournament for the second year in a row.

Tulsa opens the regular season with three straight home games, including the season opener against Grambling on Nov. 19.

The Hurricane will face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Nov. 24 for the first time since the 1994-95 season, when Arkansas won in overtime.

Tulsa plays cross-town rival Oral Roberts on Dec. 1 and faces Texas A&M at the Compaq Center in Houston as part of the Basketball Bowl Challenge on Dec. 14.