The long process of finalizing the University of Kentucky men’s basketball schedule for the 2024-25 season is complete.
The SEC has revealed its official game dates, removing either-or designations from the many Tuesday/Wednesday matchups that were announced last month without set-in-stone spots on the calendar.
So, now, UK’s schedule is official, and new head coach Mark Pope knows exactly when his first team of Wildcats will be playing once conference play begins.
Kentucky’s seven SEC games that were previously TBA have now been assigned the following dates: at Georgia (Jan. 7), vs. Texas A&M (Jan. 14), at Ole Miss (Feb. 4), vs. Tennessee (Feb. 11), vs. Vanderbilt (Feb. 19), at Oklahoma (Feb. 26) and the final home game of the season vs. LSU on March 4.
The Cats’ only midweek SEC game that was set when the league announced dates last month was the clash with rival Tennessee in Knoxville on Jan. 28. UK will play 10 Saturday games inside the conference — five in Rupp Arena and five on the road — and the latest announcement means the Wildcats will end up with six Tuesday games and just two Wednesday games during league play.
Most of the SEC midweek games were not originally given specific dates so ESPN could finalize its broadcasting schedule for the 2024-25 season. TV information and tipoff times are still not set for any of Kentucky’s SEC games, however.
Pope’s first season as UK’s coach will begin Nov. 4 against Wright State in Rupp Arena, with the team’s first major matchup set for Nov. 12 against Duke in the Champions Classic in Atlanta. SEC play begins Jan. 4, with Florida coming to Rupp as Kentucky’s opener. The much-anticipated game against Arkansas — marking the return of former coach John Calipari — will be Feb. 1 in Lexington, the only meeting between the Cats and Razorbacks this season.
It was also announced Monday that Kentucky’s SEC/ACC Challenge matchup against host Clemson will be played Dec. 3 at 9:30 p.m.
The 2024-25 UK basketball roster features 12 new scholarship players, and the Cats are expected to be a back-end Top 25 team when the preseason Associated Press rankings are released next month, assuming they make the cut.
ESPN had Kentucky at No. 23 in its most recent Top 25 rankings, while the preseason list from CBS Sports does not include the Wildcats.
Tickets for Big Blue Madness, which will take place Oct. 11 in Rupp Arena, go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster.com.
2024-25 UK men’s basketball schedule
Kentucky’s full 2024-25 schedule has been set. Times and TV assignments for all remaining games will be announced later. Home games listed in all capital letters.
Oct. 11: BIG BLUE MADNESS
Oct. 18: 1-BLUE/WHITE PRESEASON EVENT
Oct. 23: KENTUCKY WESLEYAN (exhibition)
Oct. 29: MINNESOTA STATE (exhibition)
Nov. 4: WRIGHT STATE
Nov. 9: BUCKNELL
Nov. 12: 2-Duke, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 19: 3-LIPSCOMB
Nov. 22: 3-JACKSON STATE
Nov. 26: 3-WESTERN KENTUCKY
Nov. 29: GEORGIA STATE
Dec. 3: 4-At Clemson, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Dec. 7: 5-Gonzaga
Dec. 11: COLGATE
Dec. 14: LOUISVILLE
Dec. 21: 6-Ohio State, 5:30 p.m. (CBS)
Dec. 31: BROWN
Jan. 4: FLORIDA
Jan. 7: At Georgia
Jan. 11: At Mississippi State
Jan. 14: TEXAS A&M
Jan. 18: ALABAMA
Jan. 25: At Vanderbilt
Jan. 28: At Tennessee
Feb. 1: ARKANSAS
Feb. 4: At Ole Miss
Feb. 8: SOUTH CAROLINA
Feb. 11: TENNESSEE
Feb. 15: At Texas
Feb. 19: VANDERBILT
Feb. 22: At Alabama
Feb. 26: At Oklahoma
March 1: AUBURN
March 4: LSU
March 8: At Missouri
March 12-16: 7-SEC Tournament
1-Memorial Coliseum; 2-Champions Classic at State Farm Arena in Atlanta; 3-BBN Invitational in Rupp Arena; 4-SEC/ACC Challenge at Littlejohn Coliseum; 5-Battle in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena; 6-CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York; 7-SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
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