by Sports Xchange

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: A pair of highly touted freshmen add immediate depth to the backcourt. PG Donte Medder out of Mesa, Ariz., was considered one of the nation's top point guards by ESPN.com, ranking No. 14 on the list. F/G Bryson Pope (6-6, 205) entered his senior season as one of the state of Oklahoma's top players and claimed the Tulsa World Oklahoma player of the year award.   

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Regional rival and Big 12 power Oklahoma State travels to Tulsa for a matchup at the Reynolds Center on Dec. 2. Florida International, under first-year coach and NBA legend Isiah Thomas, visits the Hurricane on Nov. 15. A trip to the Las Vegas Classic opens with another Big 12 team, Nebraska, on Dec. 22.   

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Tulsa is coming off its third straight 20-win season, including back-to-back seasons with 25 wins and postseason berths. With four starters and seven letter winners returning, coach Doug Wojcik and his team have earned some recognition. Two early preseason polls, ESPN.com and The Sporting News, have Tulsa in the top 25.  

ROSTER REPORT:

--Junior G Justin Hurtt gave Tulsa another scoring threat in 2008-09, as he scored in double digits in 17 of the final 26 games as a sophomore.  

--Sophomore F Steven Idlet is coming off a solid showing at the Conference USA tournament. As a freshman, Idlet played 17.0 minutes in the three games and averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds, while shooting 54 percent from the field.  

--G Scottie Haralson transferred to Tulsa from Connecticut. Haralson will sit out the 2009-10 season and have three years of eligibility remaining when he becomes eligible.

   --F D.J. Magley transferred to TU from Western Kentucky. Magley will sit out the 2009-10 season and have two years of eligibility remaining when he becomes eligible.