The resumption of a dormant rivalry series and a visit from an in-state opponent headline a slate of five nonconference home games that the Kentucky men’s basketball program announced Friday morning. UK will play home matchups against Loyola (Maryland), Tennessee Tech, North Carolina Central, Indiana and Bellarmine as part of the Wildcats’ 2025-26 schedule. The Cats will host Bellarmine on December 23, Indiana on December 13, North Carolina Central on December 9, Tennessee Tech on November 26, and Loyola (Maryland) on November 21. Game timings and television networks for these competitions will be revealed later.The annual rivalry game between Kentucky and Louisville, which is scheduled for this year’s early-season date of November 11 in Louisville at the Yum Center, will be the first significant game of the regular season. Following that, Kentucky will play Michigan State in the yearly Champions Classic game at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 18. Three days following that encounter with the Spartans, the UK will play Loyola (Maryland) at home. The day before Thanksgiving, Kentucky will host Tennessee Tech, which is led by the renowned former Cat John Pelphrey.
Then, in December, Kentucky’s schedule will pick up speed once more. The Wildcats will play Gonzaga in Nashville on December 5; four days later, UK will host North Carolina Central in Rupp Arena; and four days after that, the eagerly anticipated rivalry series renewal with Indiana will take place in Lexington.