Ranking Kentucky’s 5 best nonconference basketball games
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Kentucky coach John Calipari is never afraid to challenge his teams, and this year’s nonconference schedule could go down as one of the toughest ever played.
Coach Cal has put together a truly brutal slate of games for the Wildcats, who are the No. 2 team in the AP Preseason Poll. Therefore, by the time this team reaches March, it should be battle-tested beyond its years and ready for anything that might come its way.
The Wildcats are thrown right into the fire with Tuesday’s opener against Duke in Indianapolis, and from there, things don’t get much easier.
Here’s a look at the Wildcats’ 5 best nonconference games of the 2018-19 season:
1. Kentucky vs. Duke — Nov. 6 (in Indianapolis)
It’s tough to pick a No. 1 game for the Wildcats, but Duke fits that bill. This year, the Blue Devils have three of the most-talented freshmen in the country — Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish — taking a page right out of Calipari’s playbook.
The Wildcats landed some talented freshmen of their own, led by Ashton Hagans and Keldon Johnson, but Duke’s class is like some of Kentucky’s classes back in the first heyday of the one-and-done era. Therefore, you know this is a game Cal will want to win, and since it’s at the beginning of the season, Kentucky’s experience could win out.
Whatever happens, the game at the State Farm Champions Classic in Indianapolis should be a ton of fun to watch.
2. Kentucky vs. Kansas — Jan. 26
These might not still be the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country by tip-off, but clearly, analysts are high on both the Jayhawks and Wildcats.
That means this marquee game of the SEC-Big 12 Challenge should be one of the best nonconference games in the month of January, and could be a Final Four preview, too. Last year, the Jayhawks beat the Wildcats 65-61, so Kentucky will be hungry for revenge.
3. Kentucky vs. North Carolina — Dec. 22 (in Chicago)
North Carolina is the No. 8 team in the preseason poll, and yet they’re only No. 3 on Kentucky’s list of top nonconference opponents? Like I said, Cal isn’t afraid of putting his squads against the country’s best.
North Carolina hasn’t landed the same caliber of one-and-done players as Duke and Kentucky, but the Tar Heels are a veteran team. Three of the top four scorers return, led by talented big man Luke Maye, and they added 5-stars Nassir Little and Coby White. Little was the No. 3 prospect in the class.
This will be a huge test for a Kentucky team that has more experience than some of Cal’s other teams. The Tar Heels are a well-coached, disciplined squad that can’t be overlooked.
4. Kentucky at Louisville — Dec. 29
The Cardinals were hammered in the FBI investigation, and former coach Rick Pitino was kicked out of town as a result.
However, this is still an intense rivalry game, and the Cardinals still got 11 votes in the preseason AP Poll. Coming a week after the North Carolina game, perhaps there’s a Christmas hangover for the Wildcats?
This is also Kentucky’s only real nonconference road test, so we’ll have to see how the ‘Cats fare in hostile territory.
5. Kentucky vs. Utah — Dec. 15
The Utes finished third in the Pac-12 last season, and return a solid squad this year under coach Larry Krystkowiak. Next year, the Wildcats travel to Las Vegas to play the Utes, but this winter, the game is in Lexington.
This shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but it’s still a game against a solid non-conference opponent, and better than any non-conference game a few SEC teams are playing.
The month of December has three big non-SEC games for the ‘Cats, so seeing how they handle that stretch will tell us a lot about how far this year’s team can go.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
