Kentucky basketball gets new dates for 2025-26 schedule, including season opener

The University of Kentucky men’s basketball schedule for the 2025-26 season is now complete.

Or all 31 games for the regular season are set, at least.

While tip times and TV information remain TBA for most of the Wildcats’ schedule — and some specific dates for SEC play are still up in the air — UK officially announced three more opponents for the upcoming season Monday afternoon, filling the only holes left on the slate.

Kentucky will host Nicholls State in the regular-season opener Nov. 4, followed by games against Valparaiso on Nov. 7 and Eastern Illinois on Nov. 14.

Those three games will be part of the Wildcats’ “multi-team event” for this season, and the trio of Rupp Arena dates will be called the BBN United Tipoff Classic, named after the collective-like “BBN United” subscription service that UK announced last week.

Ten other nonconference games had already been confirmed for UK’s schedule, with the annual rivalry game against Louisville set for an earlier-than-usual date — Nov. 11 in the Yum Center — and games against Michigan State (Nov. 18 in New York), North Carolina (Dec. 2 in Rupp), Gonzaga (Dec. 5 in Nashville), Indiana (Dec. 13 in Rupp) and St. John’s (Dec. 20 in Atlanta) filling the other marquee slots.

After the Bellarmine game, the Cats will get a week-and-a-half break before starting SEC play on Jan. 3 with a road trip to Alabama for the league opener. Kentucky will then play its first conference games in Rupp Arena against Missouri (on either Jan. 6 or 7) and Mississippi State (Jan. 10).