Kentucky will open the regular season vs. Howard in 2022-23

Kentucky basketball’s schedule for the upcoming 2022-23 season is nearly complete. The entire conference schedule was released to open the month of September, with individual non-conference opponents added here and there throughout the offseason.

Now, the team’s opponent in the season-opener has been announced, with the Wildcats set to take on Howard at Rupp Arena to open the year. That game is scheduled for November 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

It’s one of nine non-conference games officially listed on the schedule, six being home matchups.

Howard finished 16-13 overall and 9-5 in MEAC play in 2021-22, losing to the likes of No. 5 Villanova (100-81), Georgetown (85-73), Harvard (77-69) and Notre Dame (71-68). The Bison fell in the opening round of the MEAC Tournament to No. 7 Coppin State by a final score of 59-57.

Kentucky has never played Howard, who is coached by former Duke basketball player Kenny Blakeney.

Kentucky’s 2022-23 schedule as we know it

Oct. 14 | BIG BLUE MADNESS | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Oct. 22 | Blue-White Game | Pikeville, Ky. (Appalachian Wireless Arena)
Nov. 7 | HOWARD | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Nov. 15 | vs. Michigan State | Indianapolis (Gainbridge Fieldhouse)
Nov. 29 | BELLARMINE | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Dec. 4 | vs. Michigan | London, England (O2 Arena)
Dec. 10 | YALE | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Dec. 17 | vs. UCLA | New York (Madison Square Garden)
Dec. 21 | FLORIDA A&M | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Dec. 28 | at Missouri* | Columbia, Mo. (Mizzou Arena)
Dec. 31 | LOUISVILLE | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Jan. 3 | LSU* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Jan. 7 | at Alabama* | Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Coleman Coliseum)
Jan. 10 | SOUTH CAROLINA* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Jan. 14 | at Tennessee* | Knoxville, Tenn. (Thompson-Boling Arena)
Jan. 17 | GEORGIA* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Jan. 21 | TEXAS A&M* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Jan. 24 | at Vanderbilt* | Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gymnasium)
Jan. 28 | KANSAS | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Jan. 31 | at Ole Miss* | Oxford, Miss. (Pavilion at Ole Miss)
Feb. 4 | FLORIDA* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Feb. 7 | ARKANSAS* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Feb. 11 | at Georgia* | Athens, Ga. (Stegeman Coliseum)
Feb. 15 | at Mississippi State* | Starkville, Miss. (Humphrey Coliseum)
Feb. 18 | TENNESSEE* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Feb. 22 | at Florida* | Gainesville, Fla. (Stephen O’Connell Center)
Feb. 25 | AUBURN* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
March 1 | VANDERBILT* | Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
March 4 | at Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. (Bud Walton Arena)

Home games listed in ALL CAPS; * – Southeastern Conference games

Kentucky will also play North Florida (Nov. 18), at Gonzaga (Nov. 20) and Duquesne (TBD), though those games have not yet been officially announced by the school.

27 announced matchups with three more waiting to be confirmed leaves just one unknown game on the 2022-23 schedule.

Any guesses on who the final opponent will be?