Cowboys Host Gamecocks, Sooners Meet Aggies In Big 12/SEC Challenge

The inaugural Big/SEC Challenge matchups for the 2013-14 college basketball season were announced on Tuesday and Oklahoma State will be hosting South Carolina, while Oklahoma will face off with Texas A&M.

It might be a Big/SEC tussle, but OSU and OU's opponents will have a Big 12 feel about them.

The Cowboys will host the Gamecocks on Friday Dec. 6 in Gallagher-Iba Arena and the Sooners will travel to face the Aggies on Dec. 31 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

South Carolina is led by former Kansas State coach Frank Martin, who led the Wildcats to four NCAA Tournaments in five seasons in Manhattan before taking over a rebuilding job at his alma mater.

South Carolina finished 14-18 last season and returns five players who started at least 10 games in 2012-13, including sophomore Michael Carerra. He was an SEC All-Freshman selection after averaging 9.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Oklahoma State returns four starters from last year's squad that finished 24-9 overall. Starters returning are Big 12 Player of the Year and All-American Marcus Smart, All-Big 12 Second Team selection Markel Brown, All-Big 12 Third Team pick Le'Bryan Nash and Big 12 All-Defensive member Michael Cobbins.

The Sooners will face the Aggies in a meeting between former Big 12 foes. Oklahoma holds a 30-10 all-time series lead against Texas A&M. The Sooners beat the Aggies 64-54 last December in the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City.

The Sooners finished 20-12 last year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time in school history. Texas A&M finished 18-15 and did not participate in the postseason.

This will be the first "challenge" event for Big 12 men's basketball since a four-year series between the Conference and the Pac-10 from 2007-10. The Big 12 held a 28-20 advantage in games played in that event.

"The Big 12 is excited to enter into another partnership with the SEC," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. "It will add more quality opponents to our schools' annually strong non-conference schedules and provide an additional avenue to showcase some outstanding intersectional matchups."

2013 BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE

Thursday, Nov. 14

Texas Tech at Alabama

Monday, Dec. 2

Vanderbilt at Texas

Auburn at Iowa State

Thursday, Dec. 5

Mississippi at Kansas State

West Virginia at Missouri

TCU at Mississippi State

Friday, Dec. 6

South Carolina at Oklahoma State

Baylor vs. Kentucky (Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas)

Tuesday, December 10

Kansas at Florida

Saturday, Dec. 21

Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M (Toyota Center, Houston, Texas)