Kentucky men’s basketball unveiled its complete 2024-25 non-conference schedule early Thursday morning.
The slate, which features four “power five” (Big East in place of Pac-12) opponents and Gonzaga, features a total of 13 games, nine of which will take place inside Rupp Arena.
Kentucky’s season opener, taking place on Nov. 4, will be against the Wright State Raiders, hailing from the Horizon League with Northern Kentucky. The matchup against the Raiders will be home fans’ first opportunity to see the new team play with consequences, taking place after currently undisclosed exhibition contests.
Following the opener, Kentucky will host Bucknell inside Rupp Arena on Nov. 9 in the final tune-up matchup before one of the most highly anticipated contests of the season. The game will be the first meeting of UK and Bucknell.
Leaving the comfort of buy-games inside Rupp Arena, Kentucky will then take the trip to Atlanta for the 2024 Champion’s Classic on Nov. 12, this time against the Duke Blue Devils.
Duke, already a projected National Championship hopeful, finished last season in the NCAA Elite Eight, being ranked in the top 10 in the country by predictive metrics and AP voters, and will be looking to tie up the all-time series against UK, with the Cats boasting a 12-11 lead.
Back in the comfort of the Bluegrass, Kentucky will host the BBN Invitational from Nov. 19-26.
The first opponent in the invitational will be the Lipscomb Bison, hailing from the Atlantic Sun Conference with Eastern Kentucky, on Nov. 19. UK is 2-0 against Lipscomb, which is located in Nashville.
Up next, the Cats will host Jackson State in Rupp Arena on Nov. 22, with the contest also being part of UK’s “Unity Series,” a series of games against historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). UK has never faced Jackson State.
To wrap up the BBN Invitational, on Nov. 26, Kentucky will host Western Kentucky, taking on the Hilltoppers that returned to the NCAA Tournament last season.
The Cats will wrap up the month of November on the 29th at home against Georgia State out of the Sun Belt Conference. UK last faced Georgia State in 2005, winning 73-46 with head coach Tubby Smith.
Kentucky will open the month of December on Dec. 3 on the road against Clemson as part of the previously announced SEC/ACC Challenge. Last season, the first year of the challenge, UK hosted and stomped Miami (Fl.). UK is 12-4 all-time versus the Tigers, last winning in 1997, the first year of Smith’s tenure.
The road trip will continue on Dec. 7 when the Cats travel to Seattle for the third installment of a series with Gonzaga. The Zags control the series 2-0 (2-1 all-time), winning in Rupp Arena last season.
UK will then host Colgate, hailing from the Patriot League, on Dec. 11, marking the first meeting of the teams, ahead of another highly anticipated matchup.
Dec. 14 will bring the latest installment of the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry, with UK hosting after winning in the KFC Yum! Center last season. UK, with new head coach Mark Pope, boasts a 39-17 all-time record versus the Cardinals, entering the year with new head coach Pat Kelsey.
Kentucky will then make its final road trip of the non-conference slate on Dec. 21, traveling to New York City for the 2024 CBS Sports Classic, this time against Ohio State, also with a new head coach. The Cats hold a 11-10 all-time record, most recently winning in 2019.
Finally, the Wildcats will host Brown, hailing from the Ivy League, on Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve) to wrap up the non-conference slate. Kentucky will meet Brown for the first time.
With the stage now set, all of Kentucky’s 2024-25 non-exhibition opponents have been announced, though dates are yet to be determined for the SEC schedule.
