The Big 12 released its 2010 conference basketball schedule today, and Mike Anderson’s Missouri Tigers will be reaping the benefits of last year’s successful season.

The reigning Big 12 tournament champs will play in a school-record nine nationally televised games, although as usual, the only Big Monday game is against the mighty Kansas Jayhawks. Missouri may be in the national conversation a little more, but it’s hard to believe expectations for the Tigers will be great, considering they lost 40 points and 16 rebounds per night with seniors DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence.

That could be good for a team who seems to do better when it has something to prove.