by MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer , Tulsa World

Missouri, which upset regional No. 2 seed Memphis and reached the Elite Eight in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, is set for a Dec. 9 game in Tulsa, returning ORU's visit to Columbia last December. Coached by former University of Tulsa guard Mike Anderson, the Tigers went 31-7 last year and captured the school's first Big 12 postseason tournament title. Although they lost senior standouts DeMarre Carroll (a first-round NBA draft pick) and Leo Lyons, the Tigers will probably be ORU's most attractive home foe since Texas in December 1998. "It isn't very often that you get a team of that caliber coming to play on your home court," Sutton said. "This is a great game for our team, and obviously for our fans." Tulsa and New Mexico, an NIT participants last year, also visit the Mabee Center, giving the Eagles "probably the best home schedule we've had at least since I've been head coach," said Sutton, who is in his 11th year. It's better than last season, when the Eagles had only two nonconference home games and played only once at home between Nov. 17 and Jan. 2. Tulsa visits on Jan. 20 for the annual Mayor's Cup. The schedule has games at Louisville, Wake Forest, Stanford and Virginia. Louisville was a No. 2 seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament and Wake Forest also qualified. "We've always tried to give our kids an opportunity to play some of the elite teams in the country. I think there's just a handful we haven't played," Sutton said. The Eagles will play eight teams that participated in postseason play last March. It may not seem the time for such a taxing schedule. ORU lost two all-conference selections (Robert Jarvis and Marcus Lewis) and returns one senior starter (Kevin Ford) from a 16-15 squad. But Sutton is excited about a five-man recruiting class that includes freshmen Damen Bell-Holter, Hunter McClintock and Warren Niles. "There's certainly a chance that we'll be rebuilding, but every team goes through that," he said. "Hopefully we've recruited well. These guys will have to come in and develop, but the talent is there." 2009-10 schedule November: 2, Bristish Columbia (exhibition), 7:05 p.m. 7, Rogers State (exhibition), 7:05 p.m. 13, at Wake Forest, TBA. 16, TBA. Nov. 18, at Stanford, TBA. Nov. 21, at Virginia, TBA. Nov. 24, Sam Houston State in Cancun, Mexico, TBA. Nov. 25, Florida A&M or Rider in Cancun, Mexico, TBA. Nov. 30, Arkansas-Little Rock, TBA. December: 3, UMKC, 7:05 p.m. 5, Southern Utah, 7:05 p.m. 9, Missouri, 7:05 p.m. 13, at Indiana State, TBA. 16, at Louisville, TBA. 23, New Mexico, 7:05 p.m. 31, at South Dakota State, TBA. January: 2, at North Dakota State, TBA. 7, Oakland, 7:05 p.m. 9, IPFW, 7:05 p.m. 14, at IUPUI, TBA. 16, at Western Illinois, TBA. 20, Tulsa, 7:05 p.m. 23, at Centenary, TBA. 28, North Dakota State, 7:05 p.m. 30, South Dakota State, 7:05 p.m. February: 4 , at IPFW, TBA. 6, at Oakland, TBA. 11, Western Illinois, 7:05 p.m. 13, IUPUI, 7:05 p.m. 17, Centenary, 7:05 p.m. Feb. 20, TBA. 25, at Southern Utah, TBA. 27, at UMKC, TBA. March : 6-9, Summit League Tournament, Sioux Falls, S.D. Mike Brown 581-8390 mike.Brown@tulsaworld.com SUBHEAD: ORU BASKETBALL

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