Kentucky vs. Gonzaga series extended to six years

MrsTylerKSR

Excited about the Kentucky vs. Gonzaga game? You’re in luck because the series has been extended to six years, John Calipari just announced. The final agreement includes neutral-site games in Seattle and Nashville and a game at Gonzaga’s true home arena, McCarthey Athletic Center, aka The Kennel, in 2027. The series tips off with Kentucky’s trip to Spokane Arena on Sunday, November 20.

2022 – Spokane Arena
2023 – Rupp Arena
2024 – Seattle
2025 – Nashville
2026 – Rupp Arena
2027 – McCarthey Athletic Center

“I am so excited that we have finalized this series,” Calipari said in a press release. “Mark is a great friend and what he has done at Gonzaga to build them into one of the premier programs in our sport is incredible. The mindset I have when I put together our schedule here at Kentucky is that we want to always challenge ourselves by competing with the best teams we can find and generate some marquee home games for the best fans in the country. We have done that with Gonzaga and I look forward to competing with them the next six seasons.”

“This is something Coach Calipari and I have been working on for some time,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. “It’s an exciting thing for both programs, both schools, both fan bases, and all of college basketball. Instead of a two-year thing, this gives everyone something to put on their calendar and look forward to over the next six seasons.”

On Twitter, Calipari also shared that next year’s schedule includes home games vs. Gonzaga and Michigan, North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic, and road games at Louisville and a Big 12 opponent. He also teased more scheduling news coming next week.

We received great feedback on this year’s schedule so I wanted to share what’s locked in for next year.

We have Gonzaga & Michigan at home, CBS Sports Classic (UNC) & Champions Classic (TBD) at neutral sites, road games with Louisville & a Big 12 opponent.

Plus 18 SEC games!
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) October 6, 2022

Next week, I’ll share with you some more of our future schedules.

The mindset I have when I put together our schedule is that we want to always challenge ourselves by competing with the best teams we can find & generate some marquee home games for the best fans in the country.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) October 6, 2022

Kentucky and Gonzaga have only played each other once. The Cats beat the Bulldogs 80-72 in the 2002 Maui Invitational. Gonzaga has won the West Coast Conference regular-season title in each of the last 23 seasons and appeared in the Final Four twice in the last six years. This year, the Bulldogs return three starters, including All-American Drew Timme, from a team that went 28-4 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

Kentucky Basketball’s 2022-23 Schedule

Earlier this week, Kentucky released the complete 2022-23 schedule, which includes non-conference games vs. Gonzaga, Michigan State, Michigan, UCLA, Louisville, and Kansas.

Day	Date	Time	Opponent	Location	City, State	TV
Fri.	Oct. 14	7:00 PM	Big Blue Madness	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Sat.	Oct. 22	6:00 PM	Blue-White Game	Appalachian Wireless Arena	Pikeville, KY	SEC Network +
Sun.	Oct. 30	7:00 PM	Missouri Western State (Exh.)	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Thur.	Nov. 3	7:00 PM	Kentucky State (Exh.)	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network +
Mon.	Nov. 7	6:30 PM	Howard	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Fri.	Nov. 11	7:00 PM	Duquesne	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Tue.	Nov. 15	7:00 PM	Michigan State (Champions Classic)	Gainbridge Fieldhouse	Indianapolis, IN	ESPN
Thur.	Nov. 17	7:00 PM	South Carolina State	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Sun.	Nov. 20	7:30 PM	Gonzaga	Spokane Arena	Spokane, WA	ESPN
Wed.	Nov. 23	4:00 PM	North Florida	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network +
Tue.	Nov. 29	7:00 PM	Bellarmine	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network +
Sun.	Dec. 4	1:00 PM	Michigan (Hall of Fame London Showcase)	O2 Arena	London, England	ABC
Sat.	Dec. 10	1:00 PM	Yale	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Sat.	Dec. 17	5:15 PM	UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)	Madison Square Garden	New York, NY	CBS
Wed.	Dec. 21	TBD	Florida A&M	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	TBD
Wed.	Dec. 28	7:00 PM	Missouri	Mizzou Arena	Columbia, MO	SEC Network
Sat.	Dec. 31	12:00 PM	Louisville	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	CBS
Tue.	Jan. 3	8:00 PM	LSU	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN
Sat.	Jan. 7	1:00 PM	Alabama	Coleman Coliseum	Tuscaloosa, AL	ESPN
Tue.	Jan. 10	7:00 PM	South Carolina	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN/ESPN2
Sat.	Jan. 14	12:00 PM	Tennessee	Thompson-Boling Arena	Knoxville, TN	ESPN
Tue.	Jan. 17	9:00 PM	Georgia	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN
Sat.	Jan. 21	2:00 PM	Texas A&M	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN
Tue.	Jan. 24	9:00 PM	Vanderbilt	Memorial Gymnasium	Nashville, TN	SEC Network
Sat.	Jan. 28	8:00 PM	Kansas (Big 12/SEC Challenge)	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN
Tue.	Jan. 31	9:00 PM	Ole Miss	Pavilion at Ole Miss	Oxford, MS	ESPN/ESPN2
Sat.	Feb. 4	8:30 PM	Florida	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN
Tue.	Feb. 7	9:00 PM	Arkansas	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	ESPN/ESPN2
Sat.	Feb. 11	12:00 PM	Georgia	Stegeman Coliseum	Athens, GA	ESPN/ESPN2
Wed.	Feb. 15	8:30 PM	Mississippi State	Humphrey Coliseum	Starkville, MS	SEC Network
Sat.	Feb. 18	1:00 PM	Tennessee	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	CBS
Wed.	Feb. 22	7:00 PM	Florida	Exactech Arena	Gainesville, FL	ESPN/ESPN2
Sat.	Feb. 25	4:00 PM	Auburn	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	CBS
Wed.	Mar. 1	7:00 PM	Vanderbilt	Rupp Arena	Lexington, KY	SEC Network
Sat.	Mar. 4	2:00 PM	Arkansas	Bud Walton Arena	Fayetteville, AR	CBS