Sooners non-league slate includes 14 games, eight at home.
There's also a trip to Maui and the annual visit to the All-College Tournament.
Oklahoma head men's basketball coach Jeff Capel announced his team's 2010-11 non-conference schedule today, a slate of 14 games that features eight home contests, a trip to the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, road outings against Arkansas and Arizona, and an All-College Classic matchup against Cincinnati.
"This would be an ambitious non-conference schedule for us in any year," said Capel, who is entering his fifth season at OU. "The fact we have eight new players makes it even more of a challenge. But it's also very exciting. We view it as a great opportunity."
The Sooners begin the regular season Nov. 12 at home against Coppin State and will host North Carolina Central (Nov. 15) and Texas Southern (Nov. 18) before heading to Hawaii to play three games in the Maui Invitational (Nov. 22-24). The tournament bracket has yet to be announced, but the field also includes Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan State, Virginia, Washington, Wichita State and host Chaminade.
"The Maui Invitational field is as strong as I remember it in quite some time," said Capel. "The tournament will allow us to see how we stack up against some of the better teams in the country and will give us an opportunity to grow up quickly."
OU will start December with back-to-back road games against Arkansas (Dec. 1) and Arizona (Dec. 5 in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series) before returning home to face Gardner-Webb (Dec. 9) and Oral Roberts (Dec. 11). It will take on Cincinnati Dec. 18 in the All-College Classic at Oklahoma City's Ford Center.
Capel's squad will conclude its non-conference schedule with home games against Sacramento State (Dec. 21), Central Arkansas (Dec. 30) and Maryland Eastern Shore (Jan. 3).
Television information and tip times have yet to be announced.
The Sooners will also play a home exhibition game Nov. 2 against Northern State. Located in Aberdeen, S.D., Northern State was coached for the past 11 years by Don Meyer, the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2009 ESPY Awards. Meyer retired this spring and finished his career with 923 wins, more than any men's coach whose career has included at least one stint with an NCAA member school.
2010-11 OU Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 2 Northern State (exhibition)
Nov. 12 Coppin State
Nov. 15 North Carolina Central
Nov. 18 Texas Southern
Nov. 22-24 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational (Lahaina, Hawaii)
Dec. 1 at Arkansas
Dec. 5 at Arizona (Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series)
Dec. 9 Gardner-Webb
Dec. 11 Oral Roberts
Dec. 18 vs. Cincinnati (All-College Classic, Oklahoma City)
Dec. 21 Sacramento State
Dec. 30 Central Arkansas
Jan. 3 Maryland Eastern Shore
