Kentucky-Louisville men’s basketball tipoff time and TV channel announced
The Kentucky-Louisville men’s basketball rivalry is ready for prime time.
The annual game — which could match two preseason top-10 teams in The Associated Press Top 25 — will tip off at 8 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville. It’ll air on ESPN.
It’s the earliest-ever date for a UK-U of L game, but it’ll get the prime-time TV treatment thanks in part to both teams’ Final Four aspirations.
The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook has Mark Pope’s Wildcats at No. 8 in its preseason top 25. Pat Kelsey’s Cardinals are No. 10.
“I think our in-state rivals — or in-conference rivals — continue to get way better, and I love every second of it,” Pope said Monday at UK basketball media day. “It’s how it’s supposed to be. This game is great.”
The SEC has yet to announce game times and broadcasters for most of the Wildcats’ conference schedule. Kentucky opens exhibition play Oct. 24 with a game against Purdue — Blue Ribbon’s preseason No. 2 team — at Rupp Arena. That game tips off at 6 p.m. and will air on SEC Network.
UK’s first regular-season game, also at Rupp, is against Nicholls at 7 p.m. on SEC Network+.
This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 1:00 PM.