With the number two recruiting class starting in fall 2018, three very talented sophomores, and...wait for it...a senior power forward who was last spring's most highly sought-after transfer after leaving Stanford, the Kentucky Wildcats seem to be headed into a dream-type season.

And if you're going to be THAT good, you need a schedule commensurate with talent and expectations.

So, out of the blocks on November 6th at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, UK will face Big Blue Nation's sworn enemies in the Duke Blue Devils.

This will be the third match-up between these traditional blue bloods in the Champions Classic.

Each team is 1-1 in this mini-series with Kentucky claiming an 11-point victory three years ago and Duke winning 75-68 in 2012.

The balance of November's schedule will include home tilts against Southern Illinois, North Dakota, VMI, Winthrop, Tennessee State, and Monmouth.

December kicks off with UNC-Greensboro and then it's a gauntlet for the 'Cats with games against likely or potential NCAA Tournament teams the rest of the month.

On December 8th, Kentucky heads to Madison Square Garden for a Citi Hoops Classic match-up against Seton Hall. This will be just the third time the 'Cats have taken on the Pirates.

Back in the 90s and into the 2000s, it seemed Kentucky always drew Utah somewhere in the NCAA Tournament, including the 1998 National Championship game. And the 'Cats beat the Utes every time. Now the venue will be Rupp Arena and Kentucky and Utah will face off for the first time since, yep, the 2005 NCAA Tournament. The game is set for December 15th.

One week later on December 22nd, it's another blue-blood battle when Kentucky and North Carolina square off in the CBS Sports Classic at the United Center in Chicago.

December 29th will provide a fitting finale for the month when Kentucky battles hated rival Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

Conference play will begin January 5th against Alabama with one more non-conference hook-up set for January 26th against Kansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

The 'Cats and the Jayhawks will likely begin the season as the top two ranked teams in college basketball and could very well be holding down those same positions when they meet at Rupp Arena at the end of January.

Add all this non-conference heft to an absolutely loaded SEC and you have a fairly tough assignment for what's likely to be an excellent Wildcats team in 2018-2019.

For the complete UK basketball schedule, including TV times and networks, click here.

 

 

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