The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team has confirmed five additional non-conference matchups for the upcoming 2025-26 season, with the schedule featuring the renewal of a storied rivalry and a familiar face returning to Rupp Arena. Headlining the additions is the long-anticipated revival of the Kentucky-Indiana series, which will resume on December 13, 2025, when the Hoosiers travel to Lexington. This marks Indiana’s first visit to Rupp Arena since the 2010-11 season.
The renewed series between Kentucky and Indiana will span four years, with alternating venues. After this year’s clash in Lexington, the series will continue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in 2026, return to Rupp Arena in 2027, and conclude at Assembly Hall in Bloomington in 2028. This revival is expected to draw significant national attention, as both programs are projected to be among the top-ranked teams in the country.
In addition to the Indiana matchup, Kentucky will also host Loyola Maryland (Nov. 21), Tennessee Tech (Nov. 26), North Carolina Central (Dec. 9), and Bellarmine (Dec. 23). The Tennessee Tech game carries special significance, as it marks the return of former Kentucky standout and current Golden Eagles head coach John Pelphrey. Pelphrey, a member of the famed “Unforgettables” team of the early 1990s, will return to Rupp Arena in a coaching role for the first time.
These five contests complement a challenging non-conference slate that already includes the Champions Classic game against Michigan State, the CBS Sports Classic versus UCLA, a neutral-site showdown with Gonzaga in Nashville, and the annual rivalry game against Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.
With marquee matchups and nostalgic storylines, Kentucky’s non-conference schedule promises to be one of the most compelling in the nation this
season.
