Kentucky locks in two more opponents on 2019-20 basketball schedule
The University of Kentucky made two more games official on its 2019-20 men’s basketball schedule on Thursday.
UK confirmed it will play host to Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 8 and to Evansville on Nov. 12 in Rupp Arena.
That announcement locks in five opponents and dates for this coming season.
Kentucky will open its campaign Nov. 5 against Michigan State at the Champions Classic in New York’s Madison Square Garden. The Spartans played in the Final Four this past season and are expected to return a deep and experienced roster for head coach Tom Izzo.
2019 UK basketball off-season calendar
The game against Eastern Kentucky pits the Cats against the Colonels for the first time since Dec. 9, 2015, an 88-67 win for Kentucky that extended its all-time record against EKU to 12-0. EKU finished 13-18 last season, its first under head coach A.W. Hamilton.
Kentucky’s contest against Evansville brings back to Lexington a member of its 1996 national championship team. Walter McCarty, who scored 946 career points for the Wildcats under Coach Rick Pitino from 1993-96, is head coach of the Aces. Evansville finished 11-21 in its inaugural season under McCarty in 2018-19. Kentucky and Evansville have never previously met in men’s basketball.
“To be able to go back to where I played college and had a lot of success is a tremendous opportunity for our program,” McCarty said in a news release. “I am grateful to (UK head coach) John (Calipari) for helping to make this happen.”
The only other games officially locked in at this point for the 2019-20 season are a pair of games in Las Vegas — Utah on Dec. 18, then Ohio State on Dec. 21 in the CBS Sports Classic.
2019-20 UK basketball schedule
Games officially scheduled at this point (home games in all capital letters):
Nov. 5: Michigan State-1
Nov. 8: EASTERN KENTUCKY
Nov. 12: EVANSVILLE
Dec. 18: Utah-2
Dec. 21: Ohio State-3
1-Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York; 2-At T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas; 3-CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.