Missouri announces 2012-13 slate

The Missouri men’s basketball team announced its full schedule for the 2012-13 campaign on Wednesday.

Along with an 18-game Southeastern Conference schedule, the Tigers will participate in a set of notable non-conference games, which includes a Dec. 28 trip to UCLA that marks the beginning of a home-and-home series. The Bruins boast this season’s No. 1 recruiting class, anchored by Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, the No. 2 and No. 5 recruits from 2011, respectively.

On Dec. 22, Missouri will meet with Illinois in St. Louis for the next installment of the annual Braggin’ Rights Series, which the Tigers won last year in a close 78-74 bout.

The two games, with start times yet to be determined, will be among the 18 nationally televised games the Tigers will compete in, a school record.

“This schedule will have some big time opportunities, including starting a home-and-home series with UCLA,” coach Frank Haith said in a news release.

Before December, Missouri and its new-look squad that expects to start three transfers will compete in the previously announced Battle 4 Atlantis tournament during Thanksgiving weekend in the Bahamas. The Tigers will first meet last year's NIT champion Stanford on Nov. 22 for the first round of what might be the early season’s juiciest tournaments field. Other teams in the pool include Duke, Louisville, Memphis, Minnesota, Northern Iowa and VCU.

“There is no question that the Battle 4 Atlantis will be a big challenge for us, especially as we work in a number of new players early in the season.”

The Tigers open the regular season doors with visiting Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Nov. 10.