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Kentucky basketball releases non-conference schedule for Mark Pope's debut season

The non-conference schedule for Kentucky was released.

ByAlec Lasley|
Former Kentucky basketball player and new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, left, called athletic director Mitch Barnhart back to the stage so he could have a portrait with his actual game jersey as opposed to the random jersey Barnhart chose during his announcement at Rupp Arena in Lexington Ky. on April 14, 2024.
Former Kentucky basketball player and new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, left, called athletic director Mitch Barnhart back to the stage so he could have a portrait with his actual game jersey as opposed to the random jersey Barnhart chose during his announcement at Rupp Arena in Lexington Ky. on April 14, 2024. | Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA

It's here! The non-conference schedule for Kentucky was released on Thursday giving us the first real look of the first few months of the 2024-25 season.

Kentucky's non-conference will not be an easy one -- with games against Duke, Clemson, Gonzaga, Louisville and Ohio State as the headliners.

Only the Clemson game will be a true road game, however. Duke is being played in Atlanta for the Champions Classic and the Gonzaga game is being played in Seattle, not Spokane.

In total, Kentucky will have 13 non-conference games on the schedule, with the season opener on November 4 -- Mark Pope's debut at Kentucky.

The most difficult stretch of the non-conference slate will be near the end when Kentucky plays Clemson, Gonzaga, Louisville and Ohio State in an 18-day stretch.

Kentucky's game against Clemson will be the only true non-conference game game that will take place on the road.

In total there are nine home games, one true away game and then three neutral site games.

Kentucky is looking to get out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. Two of the last three years have been first round exits.

Kentucky finished 23-10 last year with a 13-5 record in SEC play and received a three-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Mark Pope is coming in to Lexington with one goal in mind -- 'Hang banner No. 9'. It's the goal and expectation for everyone on the roster and has been labeled as the 'assignment' by everyone who has joined Pope in Lexington this offseason.

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