Kentucky considering NYC, Chicago, and Bay Area for Notre Dame in 2022

Kentucky signed a three-year deal with Notre Dame in 2020, one that would bring the Fighting Irish to Lexington in year one and the Wildcats to South Bend in year two. UK fell to ND by a final score of 64-63 at Rupp Arena on Dec. 12 last season, with a rematch scheduled at the Joyce Center on Dec. 11 later this year.

The location of the third and final matchup of the series, though, remains to be seen. In an appearance on College Hoops Today with Jon Rothstein, Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey revealed that he is in discussions with John Calipari regarding the third matchup – a neutral site game – scheduled for the 2022-23 season.

The potential options? New York City, Chicago, and the Bay Area.

“We’ve not decided on that,” Brey told Rothstein. “John Calipari and I (were) on the road this summer, we talked about the (Madison Square) Garden, which would be a natural. We’ve talked about Chicago, and maybe even the Bay Area. The marketing group that kind of handles both of us is based out there, they’ve thrown that around, too. Nothing decided yet.”

December’s matchup will mark the fifth time UK and ND will have met since the Calipari arrived in Lexington, with the series split 2-2. Kentucky’s victories came in the SEC/Big East Invitational in 2010 and the Midwest Regional Finals in 2015, while Notre Dame won in the SEC/Big East Invitational in 2012 to go with last year’s road victory at Rupp Arena.

Needless to say, Brey is a fan of the head-to-head battle with the Wildcats.

“They’re here at our place this year, I think December 10th or 11th, right in that area,” Brey said. “They come back to us. It’s a great series for us. We’ve had great games with them, the Regional Final game in Cleveland (in 2015) was — people still talk about that game. The energy in the building, two teams going at it. I thought it was natural for us to do the series and make it a three-game (deal). But still don’t know where year three will be.”

The Wildcats have four games penciled in for 2022-23, with Michigan State getting things rolling on Nov. 8, followed by Michigan in London on Dec. 4, Notre Dame on Dec. 10, and Ohio State on Dec. 17.

Until then, here is Kentucky’s 2021-22 non-conference schedule as we know it: