UK Men’s Basketball Conference Opponents Announced for 2019-20

Courtesy UK Athletics

Kentucky’s path to a potential 49th Southeastern Conference regular-season crown is a little clearer with the announcement of the 2019-20 home-and-away designations for the entire league’s schedule. On Wednesday, the SEC announced designations for all 14-member institutions, including revealing the home-and-away opponents for each team.

As announced prior to the 2015-16 season, Kentucky’s permanent home-and-away opponents include Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. This upcoming season, the Wildcats will also play Auburn and Georgia twice in the regular season.

Kentucky’s league home schedule will include the five aforementioned teams as well as Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Missouri. UK’s road matchups will come against Arkansas, LSU, South Carolina and Texas A&M in addition to Auburn, Georgia and the three permanent home-and-home opponents.

Times, dates and television information will be announced at a later date.

The league is coming off another outstanding season in 2018-19. Seven SEC teams participated in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, one shy of its record set in 2018. Four teams advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season, matching a league record also set in 1986 and 1996. On Jan. 21, six SEC teams were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, tying for the most in a single AP poll in league history. The last time six teams were ranked was exactly 16 years previously in 2003.

UK’s home-and-home slate features five intriguing matchups. Auburn and the Wildcats tangled in the Elite Eight with the Tigers advancing to their first-ever Final Four by a six-point margin in overtime. Georgia, led by Tom Crean, boasts the nation’s fifth-best recruiting class according to ESPN, just one slot behind the Wildcats. Florida is the third SEC team among the top 10 as the Gators own the 10th-best recruiting class according to ESPN. Vanderbilt welcomes newly minted head coach Jerry Stackhouse to the fold, while Tennessee is led by the last season’s Naismith winner for national coach of the year in Rick Barnes.

All told, 19 of ESPN.com’s Top 100 recruits having signed with SEC schools. The SEC boasts five of ESPN.com’s Top 25 incoming recruiting classes.

UK’s 2019-20 schedule is once again shaping up to be one of the best in the country. In addition to a difficult path through the SEC, UK’s nonconference schedule is filled with bluebloods, marquee home games and exciting road trips for fans.

The Wildcats now have five regular-season nonconference games on the books, plus the annual rivalry game vs. Louisville (date to be determined), which is slated to return to Rupp Arena this season.

·         Nov. 5 – vs. Michigan State | Madison Square Garden | New York | State Farm Champions Classic

·         Nov. 8 – Eastern Kentucky| Rupp Arena | Lexington

·         Nov. 12 – Evansville | Rupp Arena | Lexington

·         Dec. 18 – Utah | T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas

·         Dec. 21 – Ohio State | T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas | CBS Sports Classic

Additional nonconference opponents, as well as a detailed SEC schedule will be unveiled at a later date.

For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram and on the web at UKathletics.com

2019-20 SEC Home Games2019-20 SEC Away Games
AlabamaArkansas
AuburnAuburn
FloridaFlorida
GeorgiaGeorgia
Ole MissLSU
Mississippi StateSouth Carolina
MissouriTennessee
TennesseeTexas A&M
VanderbiltVanderbilt

‑ GO CATS –
For more information contact:
Eric Lindsey

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