Kentucky MBB announces tipoff times for Purdue, Gonzaga, Indiana, and more

by: Zack Geoghegan16 hours agoZGeogheganKSR

Matt Painter, Purdue - © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The complete 2025-26 Kentucky men’s basketball schedule is coming together.

While we already knew who the Wildcats would face during Mark Pope‘s second year as head coach, we’re now quickly beginning to learn when these games will actually start. On Thursday, UK announced the tipoff times for multiple non-conference matchups, including the exhibition at Rupp Arena against Purdue, the projected No. 1 team in the country. All of the games mentioned below will be played at home for the ‘Cats, except for the battle with Gonzaga in Nashville.

Friday, Oct. 24 vs. Purdue (EXH) – 6:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network
Wednesday, Nov. 26 vs. Tennessee Tech – 7:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network
Friday, Dec. 5 vs. Gonzaga (Bridgestone Arena) – 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Tuesday, Dec. 9 vs. NC Central – 7:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network
Saturday, Dec. vs. 13 Indiana – 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

At first glance, no start times past 7:30 p.m. is always a plus. Kentucky’s exhibition against Purdue, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday, should be an ideal way to start the weekend. The football team takes on Tennessee at home that Saturday, and it’ll also be the last weekend of the Keeneland fall meet. That’ll be a busy stretch for Lexington.

We also get 7:00 and 7:30 tip times for Gonzaga on the road and Indiana at home, respectively. With no more football, all eyes will be on the basketball ‘Cats for these two matchups. Rupp Arena should be filled to the brim when the Hoosiers come to town.

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Throughout the week, tipoff times for this season’s games have been popping up left and right. On Tuesday, we learned that Kentucky’s showdown with Rick Pitino and St. John’s in Atlanta, set for Saturday, Dec. 20, will start at 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS. That same day, it was revealed that the matchup with Michigan State will tip at 6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 18, at Madison Square Garden. A day later, ESPN announced that UK’s ACC/Challenge game with North Carolina will be a late one: Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN inside Rupp Arena.

There are still a handful of notable non-conference games on the schedule without tipoff times (at Louisville and the exhibition vs. Georgetown, in particular), but don’t be shocked if those drop sooner rather than later. And don’t forget, Big Blue Madness is just a little over two weeks away…