College basketball fans have plenty to watch Friday, October 23, as an entertaining exhibition schedule features 18 games across the country. Several nationally prominent programs will face challenging opponents before the regular season begins, including Kentucky hosting Texas Tech and Illinois welcoming Baylor. Minnesota also visits Creighton, while Arizona concludes its exhibition schedule against Eastern Washington. The combination of major-conference matchups, regional rivalries and mid-major opportunities makes Friday one of the busiest days of the preseason.
These games provide valuable opportunities for coaches to evaluate their rosters before regular-season competition begins in November. Although exhibition results don't affect official records, the performances can reveal important information about team chemistry, defensive execution and developing rotations. Friday's schedule also features several programs adjusting to new coaching staffs or significant roster changes. Fans interested in identifying potential breakout teams will have numerous opportunities to watch basketball throughout the afternoon and evening.
College basketball exhibition schedule for Friday, October 23
All tipoff times are Eastern.
Friday's schedule begins with Westmont visiting Cal Poly in an afternoon exhibition before Tulsa travels to Oklahoma State. The evening features several games involving major-conference opponents, including Georgia at Clemson, Texas Tech at Kentucky and Baylor at Illinois. Missouri's visit to Kansas State and Minnesota's trip to Creighton also provide interesting opportunities to evaluate teams against opponents from different conferences. The final group of games includes Arizona, Idaho State and San Diego State hosting late-night exhibitions.
Broadcast availability varies considerably because exhibition games aren't always included in regular-season television agreements. Some schools provide free streams or radio coverage, while others limit access to live statistics or in-person attendance. Fans should consult the participating universities' athletics websites for the latest broadcast information, particularly when no confirmed video option is listed. Friday's games are especially interesting because several matchups feature opponents that could otherwise meet during meaningful postseason competition.
Texas Tech visits Kentucky in one of Friday's biggest matchups
Kentucky welcomes Texas Tech to Rupp Arena for a 7 p.m. ET exhibition that should attract considerable national attention. The game will be available through SEC Network+, providing fans an opportunity to watch two programs preparing for demanding conference schedules. Texas Tech enters the season attempting to maintain its status as a competitive Big 12 program, while Kentucky continues preparing for another year of enormous expectations. Both coaching staffs should benefit from evaluating their teams against an opponent capable of exposing weaknesses before regular-season competition begins.
The matchup is particularly valuable because both programs must prepare for conferences featuring numerous nationally competitive teams. Exhibition games against weaker opponents can provide opportunities to experiment, but they don't always reveal how a roster will perform against more talented competition. Kentucky and Texas Tech will face a different challenge Friday, particularly when evaluating defensive assignments and offensive execution. The result won't count toward either team's official record, but the performance could influence important decisions before the season opener.
Baylor and Illinois provide another major-conference showdown
Illinois hosts Baylor at the State Farm Center for an 8 p.m. ET exhibition, with the contest available through B1G+. The Fighting Illini enter the matchup following a 105-96 exhibition victory over Cincinnati on October 17, providing an early example of the team's offensive potential. Baylor also arrives with momentum after defeating Florida 82-76 in overtime during an October 18 exhibition in Jacksonville. Those results suggest Friday's game could feature an entertaining offensive battle between two talented programs.
The matchup also gives both coaching staffs an opportunity to evaluate their teams against an opponent from another major conference. Illinois will attempt to build on its offensive production while improving defensive consistency, particularly after allowing Cincinnati to score 96 points. Baylor faces a similar opportunity to examine its rotations and identify areas requiring improvement before Big 12 competition begins. Friday's game provides a valuable test for programs with expectations extending well beyond the opening weeks of the season.
Minnesota travels to Creighton for a fascinating exhibition
Minnesota visits Creighton for an 8:30 p.m. ET exhibition at CHI Health Center Omaha, providing another interesting matchup between major-conference programs. The contest will stream free on YouTube, while 1620 The Zone will provide radio coverage for Creighton supporters. The Bluejays enter Friday following an impressive 83-80 exhibition victory at Iowa State on October 18, giving them an encouraging result against a nationally respected opponent. Minnesota also earned a preseason victory, defeating Omaha 72-52 on October 15.
Creighton's victory at Iowa State was particularly noteworthy because the Bluejays are attempting to establish a new identity after finishing 16-18 last season. The program returns three starters and six lettermen, providing some continuity while creating opportunities for new contributors. Minnesota presents another useful opponent because the Golden Gophers compete in the Big Ten, where physicality and defensive execution remain important characteristics. Friday's game should provide valuable information about both teams before their respective regular-season openers.
Missouri visits Kansas State in another regional rivalry
Kansas State hosts Missouri at Bramlage Coliseum for an 8 p.m. ET exhibition that will stream on ESPN+. The K-State Sports Network will also provide radio coverage, giving supporters several ways to follow the contest. The matchup renews a familiar rivalry between programs with extensive history competing against one another. Although the result won't affect conference standings, the game should provide an entertaining atmosphere for fans familiar with the schools' previous meetings.
The contest also represents an important opportunity for Kansas State to evaluate its progress before beginning the regular season. Missouri will provide a challenging opponent capable of testing the Wildcats' defensive preparation and offensive execution. Both programs compete in demanding major conferences, making opportunities to face quality opponents during the preseason particularly valuable. Friday's matchup offers a useful combination of rivalry interest and practical preparation.
Arizona welcomes Eastern Washington for its final exhibition
Arizona hosts Eastern Washington at McKale Center for a 10 p.m. ET exhibition, concluding the Wildcats' preseason schedule. The matchup follows Arizona's 82-67 exhibition victory over San Diego State on October 16, another result that provided valuable information about the team's developing identity. Arizona enters the season with significant national expectations after reaching the Final Four during the previous campaign. Friday provides another opportunity to evaluate the roster before the regular season begins.
Eastern Washington faces a difficult challenge against an Arizona program known for talented players and an effective offensive system. However, the exhibition also provides the Eagles with an opportunity to experience the atmosphere and competition associated with playing a nationally prominent opponent. Arizona's coaching staff will be looking for improved execution and consistency as the team approaches its regular-season opener. The matchup should offer another interesting glimpse of the Wildcats before games begin counting toward their official record.
USC visits San Diego State in another late-night matchup
USC travels to San Diego State for a 10 p.m. ET exhibition at Viejas Arena, giving both programs an opportunity to compete against a challenging opponent before the regular season begins. San Diego Sports 760 will provide radio coverage, with Steve Quis and Allen Sliwa scheduled to call the game. The matchup features programs preparing for demanding conference schedules and attempting to establish consistency before November. It also provides a useful opportunity for both coaching staffs to evaluate their rotations against a talented opponent.
San Diego State has established a reputation for disciplined defense and competitive basketball under Brian Dutcher. USC brings its own expectations as a Big Ten program attempting to compete against a demanding conference schedule. Friday's exhibition should provide opportunities for both teams to identify strengths and weaknesses before regular-season competition begins. For fans interested in late-night basketball, the matchup represents another compelling option.
Several mid-major programs also have important exhibitions
Friday's schedule extends well beyond the nationally prominent matchups. Bradley visits Saint Louis for an 8 p.m. ET exhibition, providing a meeting between programs with strong basketball traditions. Saint Louis enters the season following a remarkable 29-6 campaign that included an Atlantic 10 regular-season championship share and an NCAA Tournament victory over Georgia. Bradley will attempt to challenge the Billikens while continuing its preparation for another Missouri Valley Conference season.
Xavier also welcomes Kent State for a 7 p.m. ET exhibition at the Cintas Center. The Golden Flashes finished 24-10 last season and earned an NIT appearance, making them an interesting opponent for the Musketeers. Xavier has won nine consecutive meetings against Kent State, although Friday's exhibition won't affect that regular-season series record. The matchup should provide another useful opportunity for both teams to evaluate their progress.
Another interesting contest features Sam Houston visiting Stephen F. Austin for a 7 p.m. ET exhibition in Nacogdoches. The matchup renews the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry, providing a familiar regional opponent for both programs. Stephen F. Austin won last year's exhibition meeting in overtime, creating an additional storyline entering Friday's contest. The Lumberjacks will attempt to continue developing under head coach Matt Braeuer while preparing for another season of conference competition.
Which college basketball exhibition should fans watch Friday?
Texas Tech at Kentucky and Baylor at Illinois stand out as two of the most appealing matchups because they feature nationally recognizable programs facing demanding competition. Minnesota at Creighton also deserves attention, particularly after the Bluejays' exhibition victory over Iowa State. Missouri at Kansas State provides rivalry interest, while Arizona and San Diego State offer additional late-night options. Fans looking for smaller-program storylines should consider Bradley at Saint Louis, Kent State at Xavier and Sam Houston at Stephen F. Austin.
Friday's exhibition schedule provides an entertaining preview of the college basketball season while giving coaches important opportunities to evaluate their teams. The results won't determine conference championships or NCAA Tournament positioning, but the performances could reveal which programs are developing chemistry before the regular season begins. With 18 games scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening, fans have plenty of opportunities to follow the sport. College basketball's regular season is approaching quickly, and Friday offers another reminder of why the anticipation continues growing.
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