Basketball is right around the corner and Kentucky fans are biting at the chomp to see some live action of College Basketball.
Pre Covid, the Big Blue Madness festivities begin around the second week of October. This year, the BBM Campout has been canceled and it's looking like we won't get to start the season until November 25th, when Kentucky hosts it's multi-team event in Lexington.
The MTE will consist of Detroit Mercy, Hartford, and Richmond. Those three schools will travel to Lexington to form Kentucky's version of a "bubble," giving the Wildcats a chance to prepare for the Champions Classic that comes just six days later in Orlando. “With basketball, we’re talking 12 players, a party of 20. I think the bubble or a pod, it’s been shown to work now.”
December 1st is the start of the Champions Classic, the annual tournament that Kentucky plays in along with Duke, Kansas and Michigan State, which is normally held in Chicago. Kentucky will play Kansas in the second game of the evening.
Next on the travel bus for Kentuckys is their stop at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Holiday Hoopsgiving scheduled on December 6th. The Cats will face Georgia Tech.
December 12: Kentucky vs. Notre Dame in LEXINGTON
Right before Christmas (Dec. 19), the Wildcats will enter the CBS Sports Classic to play against UCLA. The location for the event has yet to be announced.
After the team's short Christmas break, they'll return to begin SEC play starting December 29th for an 18-game conference schedule.
In the midst of that stretch, Kentucky will participate in the Big12/SEC Challenge, which has been planned to start January 30th, 2021, but has not yet been confirmed.
I'm sure you're confused as to why I don't have listed the most important game of the year vs. Louisville on here, that would be because that game is not yet confirmed for this season. A few days ago Louisville Head Coach Chris Mack was a guest on the “Full Court Press with Fanta and Adams," where he was asked if the rivalry game would still be played this year. He responded with "I don't know." Then continues with, “Where is the equity of Kentucky coming here in front of no fans, and then having to go to Rupp Arena in front of 21,000 fans?”
First off, Chris Mack might've not been formally introduced to this state when he arrived, but someone needs to tell him about the standard of this game. People all across this state live for this 2 hour showdown each season, and for it to ever be cancelled would be the equivalent of hell completely freezing over. This game CAN'T be cancelled. That option isn't even on the table... To me, it seems like Chris Mack is worried about getting beat for the third year in a row.
Once John Calipari got word of the news, he responded, “We are prepared to come to Louisville to play this season under the previously agreed upon terms, and we fully expect Louisville to honor the agreement with a return Game to Rupp Arena next season.”
Shots fired, shots fired!! Well, not really. Just four days later when Cal met with the media through a Zoom call, he updated his statement on the Louisville situation. “I know there was a question on the Louisville game but we have a date and a time unless that changes, if they choose not to play and we’ll plug in another team. We already have that team set... We kind of knew, we’re going to have some home games with no fans, which is crap but we’ve got no choice. We’re also going on the road a couple of times without fans which isn’t fair to them, but there’s no competitive equity. It is what it is.”
He elaborated on his statement with, “I’m not going to tell you what they’re thinking or what they’re doing,” Cal said of Louisville. “I just know the terms of the contract. We go there and they come here next year. Does anybody really know what this virus is going to do? What if we’re in next year and we’re in the same boat? Then we’ve got them at home with no fans. We don’t know. This virus is running us. We are not running this virus. You’d have to talk to them. My hope is we’re playing the game this year but we’re prepared if not. I’m not going to wait and they tell me no. Boom, they say no. Bang, we’ve got another home and home. Here it is. The people want to play us. They want to beat Kentucky. They want to go against us. I think that game is good for our state. It should be played but I’m running Kentucky’s program. That’s what I do. I’m not telling any other program what they should and should not do.”
The official non-conference schedule will be announced soon, with the full official schedule coming out shortly after. "It's all looking good. I feel comfortable,” said John Calipari.
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