Missouri Basketball released its 2012-13 non-conference schedule on Wednesday and the start of a home-and-home series with UCLA, the annual Busch Braggin’ Rights clash with Illinois in St. Louis and this year’s top preseason tournament, the Battle 4 Atlantis, highlight the schedule.  In addition, Missouri’s Southeastern Conference schedule will include 18 regular-season games.

Missouri will have 19 home games, beginning with exhibition contests vs. Northwest Missouri State (Oct. 29) and Missouri Southern (Nov. 4). The Tigers will also host in-state foe Southeast Missouri State in a regular season game on Dec. 4.

2012-13 Mizzou MBB Schedule

Mizzou will play a number of ranked opponents during non-conference play. The Tigers will play UCLA at Pauley Pavilion this season. Mizzou will face three challenges in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving. That tournament field includes Stanford, Louisville, Duke, Memphis, Minnesota, Northern Iowa and VCU. Each of those teams won at least 20 games a season ago. Louisville is ranked No. 3 in that early poll along with No. 12 Duke, No. 14 Memphis, No. 19 Missouri, No. 24 Minnesota and No. 25 VCU. Stanford, Missouri’s opening opponent in the event, fell just outside those rankings, but won the 2012 Postseason NIT.

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