What we know about the 2015-16 Kentucky Wildcats basketball schedule

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As finals are wrapping up across the Bluegrass, the college basketball season is officially shutting down aside for a few late signings. This last seasons run was an incredible run that fell about sixty-five minutes short of history and perfection. The season has passed, the roster is being revamped, and we are getting a clue on what next seasons Kentucky Wildcats basketball schedule will look like.

The highlight of the early schedule will be the Champions Classic versus the defending champion Duke Blue Devils in Chicago. Kentucky was the defending champion the last time these two teams met and the Blue Devils topped the Wildcats. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Kentucky is looking to knock off Duke. Both teams have suffered big losses to the NBA, but most preseason polls right now have this has a top ten matchup at least, some sites have it as a top five showdown. Regardless, it’s Duke.

The SEC/Big 12 Challenge should also give Kentucky a top opponent, but this matchup has been moved from near the beginning of the schedule to right smack dab in the middle of the conference schedules. Granted, there are some coaches that are not thrilled about this, but the general intent is to boost the exposure the event gets. This is scheduled for January 30, 2016.

"The conference matchup, which has been held during multiple dates in November and December over the first two seasons, will take place entirely on Sat., Jan. 30 in 2016.“Meaningful out-of-conference games often happen before teams find their identity,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said. “This move will showcase two great conferences at a time during the season when teams are playing their best.”Said Baylor coach Scott Drew: “It maximizes the exposure opportunity for both conferences and I feel it’s a great move for all involved.”However, sources told ESPN that not every coach in the two leagues was in favor of moving a potentially difficult nonconference matchup into the heart of league play."

In recent years, Kentucky has not played a lot of true road games in the out of conference schedule, but they have added a new hopefully yearly series to the schedule with the UCLA Bruins. The Cats will travel to Pauley Pavillion for a battle of the teams with the two most NCAA Championships. It is also Louisville’s turn to come to Rupp Arena and that date has not been set yet.

Kentucky also starts another new rotating series with the CBS Sports Classic. They will face Ohio State in the Barclays Center in what has become a sort of unofficial stopping spot for John Calipari. We also know that Kentucky will be playing Arizona State in 2016 in the Bahamas. The 2015 game in this series will be at Rupp.

Of course, this is just what we know. It looks as like we will not see Indiana on the schedule and that much hyped “replay” of the 1966 title game of the Texas Western (now Texas Tech) 1966 Championship game will not happen. To be honest, I’m not especially heartbroken about either,

Expect to hear more rumors over the summer as the schedule fills up, but for now, here is the entire out of conference schedule as we know it.

11/17/2015 – Duke (Champions Classic in Chicago)
11/20/2015 – Wright State @ Rupp Arena
11/27/2015 – South Florida (American Airlines Arena in Miami)
11/30/2015 – Illinois State @ Rupp Arena
12/3/2015 – @ UCLA
12/9/2015 – Eastern Kentucky @ Rupp Arena
12/12/2015 – Arizona State @ Rupp Arena
TBD – Louisville @ Rupp Arena
1/30/2016 – Big 12/SEC Challenge – TBD

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