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Kentucky Basketball: 2023-24 preview for the Wildcats

Oct 13, 2023; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) reacts as the student sections chants “Big Z” during Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2023; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) reacts as the student sections chants “Big Z” during Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

Schedule Outlook

Nov. 6 – New Mexico State

Nov. 10– Texas A&M Commerce

Nov. 14 – Kansas (State Farm Champions Classic)

Nov. 17 – Stonehill

Nov. 20 – Saint Joseph’s

Nov. 24 – Marshall

Nov. 28 – Miami

Dec. 2 – UNC-Wilmington

Dec. 9 – Penn

Dec. 16 – UNC (CBS Sports Classic)

Dec. 21 – @Louisville (Battle of the Bluegrass)

Dec. 29 – Illinois State

Jan. 6-Mar. 9 – SEC Regular Season Play

March 12-16 – SEC Tournament

New Mexico State and Texas A&M Commerce will be two early tune-ups before the Wildcats face the Jayhawks in the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago’s United Center on Nov. 14. The Wildcats will look to avenge a 77-68 loss in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge suffered back on Jan. 28. They hold the overall lead in the series with 24 wins and 11 losses.

Stonehill, Saint Joseph’s and Marshall are on the home slate before the Miami Hurricanes pay Rupp Arena a visit. The Hurricanes won in their last visit to Rupp on December 6, 2008, with a 73-67 victory and should be quite the task in this year’s inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge. Kentucky holds a 3-1 record in the overall series.

UNC-Wilmington and Penn will be another two warmup games ahead of a meeting with the UNC Tar Heels in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta. The Wildcats ran away with the 2021 meeting against the Tar Heels 98-69 in Las Vegas. The Tar Heels should be a lot more competitive this go-round.

The Wildcats’ lone road game comes in their annual Battle of the Bluegrass game against the Louisville Cardinals on Dec. 21. Kentucky has won five of the last six meetings in the rivalry. After traveling to Louisville, they’ll host their last home non-conference game on Dec. 29 against Illinois State before beginning conference play.

A few NCAA Tournament teams on the non-conference should prepare the Wildcats for a tough SEC regular season schedule. After all, the conference could produce a good number of tournament teams itself by the time March arrives. The Wildcats should find themselves in the middle of the pack in the standings with a young nucleus of potential one-and-done players.