College basketball fans have another busy day of exhibition action Wednesday, October 28, as teams across the country continue their final preparations for the 2026-27 regular season. The schedule features 22 games, including several contests involving nationally ranked programs and a number of intriguing regional meetings. Memphis visits Arkansas in a reunion involving former Tigers coach John Calipari, while Kentucky welcomes UCF and Illinois hosts UIC.
There are also important opportunities for mid-major programs to test themselves against Division I competition. Navy travels to Mount St. Mary's, Southern Miss visits Houston Christian and SIUE heads to Bradley for a meeting between Illinois programs. With the regular season beginning in early November, Wednesday represents one of the final opportunities for coaching staffs to experiment before the games count toward official records.
Wednesday, October 28 men's college basketball exhibition schedule
All times Eastern.
Several games are available through conference streaming services, although subscriptions or regional restrictions may apply. Other exhibitions offer radio coverage or live statistics without a confirmed video broadcast. Fans should check the host school's athletic department for any additional coverage announcements before tipoff.
Memphis and Arkansas provide the most compelling coaching storyline
Memphis travels to Fayetteville for an 8 p.m. ET exhibition against Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena. The game brings Tigers coach Penny Hardaway against former Memphis coach John Calipari, who led the program from 2000 through 2009. Arkansas defeated Memphis 99-75 in an exhibition last year, giving Wednesday's meeting another interesting connection between the programs.
Memphis enters the game after defeating Mississippi State 75-58 in its first exhibition. Senior guard Jayden Reid scored 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting while adding four assists and three steals without committing a turnover. Arkansas is also coming off a strong result, defeating Gonzaga 76-72 on Saturday in its first exhibition.
The game will stream on SEC Network+, with Memphis radio coverage available through 98.9 The Roar. Both teams have significant regular-season expectations, and Wednesday provides another opportunity to evaluate their progress against quality competition.
Kentucky and Illinois continue preparing for November
Kentucky welcomes UCF to Rupp Arena for a 6 p.m. ET exhibition that will air on SEC Network. The Wildcats have already defeated Little Rock 69-49 and Texas Tech 76-65 during preseason competition, giving coach Mark Pope several opportunities to evaluate his team against different opponents. UCF should provide another useful test before Kentucky opens its regular season.
Illinois hosts UIC at 7 p.m. CT inside the State Farm Center in Champaign. The Fighting Illini defeated Cincinnati 105-96 before losing 95-91 to Baylor, demonstrating considerable offensive potential during exhibition play. Wednesday gives Illinois another opportunity to evaluate its defensive execution while continuing to develop its rotation.
The Illinois game will stream on B1G+, with radio coverage through the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network and Varsity Network app. Both Kentucky and Illinois enter the regular season with substantial expectations, making their final exhibitions important opportunities to establish consistency.
Louisville, West Virginia and Gonzaga complete their preseason work
Louisville hosts Mercyhurst at 7 p.m. ET at the KFC Yum! Center, with the game available through ACC Network Extra. The Cardinals previously defeated Kansas 89-83 in exhibition competition, making Wednesday another opportunity to build on an encouraging result. Louisville begins regular-season play November 2 against Chattanooga.
West Virginia welcomes Wheeling at 7 p.m. ET after defeating Glenville State 103-66 in its previous exhibition. Freshman guard Miles Sadler led the Mountaineers with 18 points in that victory, while also contributing six assists and six rebounds. Wednesday's game will air on ESPN+ and through the Mountaineer Sports Network.
Gonzaga hosts Lewis-Clark State at 9 p.m. ET in Spokane after suffering a narrow 76-72 exhibition loss at Arkansas. The Bulldogs will use the contest as their final preparation before facing Purdue in Las Vegas on November 2. Wednesday's game will be available on KHQ in the local television market, with Gonzaga radio coverage on 590 AM and 96.1 FM.
Several mid-major games deserve attention
Navy visits Mount St. Mary's at 7 p.m. ET in an exhibition that will stream on ESPN+. The Mountaineers are preparing for another season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, while Navy will use the game to evaluate its progress before regular-season competition begins. Ball State also hosts Purdue Fort Wayne at 7 p.m. ET, with radio coverage through WMUN.
SIUE travels to Bradley for an 8 p.m. ET exhibition at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves are preparing for another Missouri Valley Conference season, while SIUE enters the contest after defeating Arkansas State 70-67 in exhibition play. Bradley has announced that the game will have live statistics but no video stream or radio broadcast.
Other regional games include Presbyterian at Clemson, Southern Miss at Houston Christian and Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Little Rock. These contests give programs opportunities to test their rotations and identify areas needing improvement before the official season begins.
The final games stretch into the evening
Weber State hosts Colorado Mesa at 8 p.m. ET in Ogden, Utah, while Gonzaga and Lewis-Clark State begin an hour later in Spokane. The Wildcats have already defeated Colorado Christian and Westminster in exhibition play, providing an encouraging start under new coach Kaleb Canales. Wednesday's game offers one final opportunity to evaluate a roster featuring numerous newcomers.
Long Beach State visits San Diego State at 10 p.m. ET in the final game on Wednesday's listed schedule. The contest also brings Long Beach State coach Chris Acker back to a program where he previously worked as an assistant. San Diego Sports 760 will carry the exhibition on radio.
With November approaching, the focus will soon shift from evaluating rotations to winning games that count. Wednesday's schedule provides another opportunity for fans to see how their favorite programs are developing before the regular season begins. For teams with national aspirations and programs attempting to establish new identities, the final exhibitions still offer plenty of meaningful basketball.
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