Kentucky Has Nine Nonconference Games at Rupp Arena
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s basketball team has set its 2024-25 nonconference schedule, head coach Mark Pope announced Wednesday. The 13-game nonconference schedule includes nine home contests in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, an away tilt at Clemson and three neutral-site matchups.
The Southeastern Conference slate, along with television networks and game times will be announced at a later date.
After a pair of to-be-determined exhibition contests, the Cats open the home schedule against Wright State on Nov. 4 and Bucknell on Nov. 9, before traveling to Atlanta for a State Farm Champions Classic matchup against Duke on Nov. 12.
The Wildcats will host the BBN Invitational that includes Lipscomb (Nov. 19), Jackson State (Nov. 22) and WKU (Nov. 26). The tilt with Jackson State will also mark the fourth installment of the Unity Series.
In each of the past three seasons, UK has played a contest against an historically black college and university. The game aims to raise awareness of the missions of the HBCUs and to raise funds to provide opportunities for students at their institutions.
Kentucky wraps up the month of November with a home contest against Georgia State on Nov. 29 before hitting the road for two straight. Up first is the SEC/ACC Challenge at Clemson on Dec. 3, and then the team will travel to the West Coast for a date with Gonzaga on Dec. 7 in Seattle.
The Cats will play three more home games in the month of December, hosting Colgate (Dec. 11) and Brown (Dec. 31), along with in-state foe Louisville on Dec. 14. UK’s final nonconference date away from home is Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in New York on Dec. 21.
Kentucky will face four first-time opponents in Brown, Bucknell, Colgate and Jackson State. In all, the Wildcats will take on 13 teams who reached the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament a total of 15 times. Kentucky will play five Sweet Sixteen teams from a year ago.
Pope and his staff have put together a dynamic roster for the 2024-25 season that features a mix of six fifth-year players, one senior, one junior, one sophomore and three freshmen.
UK’s veterans have combined to play in 845 collegiate games and have scored nearly 8,000 career points. Ansley Almonor, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr and Amari Williams are all 1,000-point scorers. The group has also drained 1,033 career 3-pointers at a 37.0% rate.
Butler and Williams were named their league’s defensive player of the year, while Koby Brea and Jaxson Robinson have been tabbed a conference’s sixth man of the year in their career and Almonor was a most improved selection. Brandon Garrison is a former McDonald’s All-American. Kerr Kriisa has played in 99 career games and has made 238 3-pointers, while Otega Oweh has seen action in 60 games and was Oklahoma’s second-leading scorer a season ago.
Kentucky’s freshmen group includes Travis Perry and Trent Noah from the state of Kentucky and Collin Chandler, a former top-35 signee in the class of 2022. Perry is the state’s all-time leading scorer, while Noah broke the Sweet 16 state record for most 3-pointers drained in a single run with 19 this season.
Season ticket renewals will be sent out later in July. Those interested in season tickets are encouraged to enter the season-ticket lottery. Due to the extremely high renewal rate of men’s basketball season tickets, only a limited number of upper-level tickets are available each year through the lottery.
A limited number of new lower-level season tickets are available with a capital pledge commitment, as are memberships in Rupp Arena’s newest hospitality space, the Champions Club. For more information on premium options, please contact the K Fund Office at (859) 257-6300.
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