UK looks for title number 9
LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s never too early to get excited about next season.
“Next season” officially begins Oct. 14 with the annual spectacle of Big Blue Madness, introducing the 2016-17 men’s and women’s basketball teams. Madness will begin at 7 p.m. in Rupp Arena and will air on the SEC Network.
That’s just the beginning of the exhibition slate, which will encompass Madness, the Blue-White Scrimmage and UK’s first two exhibition games vs. Clarion and Asbury. All events and games are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts. All four events will also be televised live by the SEC Network.
Just one week from the official opening of the 2016-17 season, the annual Blue-White Scrimmage will take place Oct. 21. Tipping off at 7 p.m., fans of the Big Blue Nation will see next year’s team in action, including the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class of Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox, Wenyen Gabriel, Sacha Killeya-Jones and Malik Monk.
Kentucky will once again have two exhibition contests before opening up regular-season action. UK will take on Clarion, the alma matter of head coach John Calipari, on Oct. 30. A week later UK’s final tune-up will pit Asbury vs. the Wildcats on Nov. 6. Both of those games will tip at 7 p.m. and air on the SEC Network.
The game vs. Clarion will be the second of the Calipari era. UK also took on the Golden Eagles in an exhibition game prior to the 2009-10 season. UK and Asbury will meet for the first time in program history.
Ticket information, along with the 2016-17 regular-season non-conference slate and the 2017 Southeastern Conference schedule are expected to be released later this summer. Information regarding camp out for Big Blue Madness will also be released at a later time.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and on the web atUKathletics.com.
2016-17 Kentucky Men’s Basketball Exhibition Schedule
| Date | Event/Opponent | Time | TV Network |
| Oct. 14 | Big Blue Madness | 7 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Oct. 21 | Blue-White Scrimmage | 7 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Oct. 30 | vs. Clarion | 7 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Nov. 6 | vs. Asbury | 7 p.m. | SEC Network |