Big 12 conference releases basketball schedule

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STILLWATER — The Big 12 Conference released its 2020-21 men’s basketball schedule, which will showcase Oklahoma State in three Big Monday games for a second straight season.

Oklahoma State’s three appearances on Big Monday last season were a first since 2013-14, but with the services of Cade Cunningham anchoring a top-five recruiting class, the Cowboys have earned the spotlight once again. This will mark 50 Big Monday appearances for the Cowboys since the game’s inception in 1992.

Big Monday will visit Gallagher-Iba Arena for a matchup against West Virginia on January 4, with a pair of Big Monday road games at Iowa State January 25 and at Kansas February 8.

The Cowboys will open play in America’s top basketball league against TCU Wednesday, December 16, in Stillwater. According to KenPom, the Big 12 has ranked as the best hoops conference in the nation in six of the last eight seasons, and no conference has produced more Elite Eight or Final Four teams over the last two NCAA Tournaments than the Big 12.

Both Phillips 66 Bedlam showdowns in 2021 will be conveniently played Saturdays. The Sooners will visit GIA January 16, and the Cowboys will end the regular season in Norman February 27 for the 249th installment of the Bedlam basketball rivalry.

Kansas makes its annual visit to GIA Tuesday, January 12. No other program has had as much recent success against KU as Oklahoma State, which has eight wins over the Jayhawks since 2008. Oklahoma State has won four of the last seven games against KU in Gallagher-Iba Arena, including the famous 2018 sweep of the Jayhawks - the first by any program since 2001.

Baylor figures to be among the nation’s top teams once again, and will visit GIA Saturday, January 23 — Oklahoma State’s first game after students return to campus.

The Cowboys will be led by returning All-Big 12 guard Isaac Likekele and Cunningham, the 2020 Naismith High School Player of the Year who was named the nation’s top recruit according to ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals, USA Today, MaxPreps and Ball Is Life.

But the No. 4 ranked Cowboy signing class hardly stops there. Four-star OKC guard Rondel Walker joins two-time BioSteel All-Canadian Player of the Year Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, as well as Nebraska’s Mr. Basketball, Donovan Williams.

Graduate transfer Ferron Flavors Jr. led the WAC in 3-point shooting last season, and Montreal Pena is a three-star forward listed among the top-40 players at his position nationally. Bryce Williams and Bernard Kouma joined the Cowboys in July and add a veteran presence to the squad.

Television and tipoff information for the Big 12 Conference schedule will be released as it becomes available.

Wednesday, December 16 – Texas Christian

Sunday, December 20 – at Texas

Saturday, January 2 – at Texas Tech

Monday, January 4 – West Virginia

Saturday, January 9 – at Kansas State

Tuesday, January 12 – Kansas

Saturday, January 16 - Oklahoma

Tuesday, January 19 – at West Virginia

Saturday, January 23 – Baylor

Monday, January 25 – at Iowa State

Wednesday, February 3 – at Texas Christian

Saturday, February 6 – Texas

Monday, February 8 – at Kansas

Saturday, February 13 – Kansas State

Tuesday, February 16 – Iowa State

Saturday, February 20 – at Baylor

Tuesday, February 23 – Texas Tech

Saturday, February 27 – at Oklahoma