What to know about Kentucky's seven new non-conference opponents for 2026-27

Kentucky men’s basketball has announced seven new non-conference opponents for the 2026-27 schedule. All seven were mid- to low-major programs, meant to complement the five high-major teams (Kansas, Indiana, Virginia, Louisville, and North Carolina) that were previously scheduled for non-conference play.

That puts Kentucky at 12 confirmed non-conference games. Add on the 18 SEC games that will be announced later, and we’re up to 30 games on the schedule. The NCAA passed a rule last summer allowing teams to play 32 games beginning with the 2026-27 season. Head coach Mark Pope has been asking for a 40-game schedule, so I’m sure he’ll happily find two more teams to add for the upcoming season.

When could those two additional non-conference games potentially happen? Looking at the gaps in the current schedule, there is a lengthy break in between games on Nov. 20 (Indiana) and Dec. 2 (Virginia). That’s a 12-day break with Thanksgiving mixed in between. Don’t be surprised if a game (or possibly two) is added somewhere around the holiday. There’s also a week-long break in between matchups with Louisville (Dec. 12) and North Carolina (Dec. 19). It’s the only other break of at least seven days in the non-conference.

Regardless, there are still some games to put on the calendar. Those will come. In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at the seven new non-conference games — which will all be played at Rupp Arena — that were announced this week. Six of them will be first-time opponents for the Wildcats.

Nov. 3 vs. Manhattan

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 329 | NET: No. 328

When looking at the KenPom and NET rating finishes last season for all seven teams, you’ll quickly notice a trend: none of them were very good in 2025-26. The Manhattan Jaspers are one of four teams that finished last season outside of the top 300 in both rankings. Manhattan will mark the official 2026-27 season-opener for Kentucky.

Manhattan is a first-time opponent for Kentucky, although there is a history between the Wildcats and the Jaspers. Head coach John Gallagher is entering his fourth year as head coach and is coming off a 12-20 finish a season ago. He’s seen plenty of roster turnover from last season, too. Sophomore guard Quron Elliott is the team’s top returning scorer (3.5 PPG). Transfers Ben Tweedy (Colgate; 9.4 PPG) and Josiah Sabino (Niagara; 7.1 PPG) were among the top portal pickups for Gallagher.

Nov. 6 vs. James Madison

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 215 | NET: No. 209

This one will have plenty of juice for multiple reasons. For starters, James Madison is the former home of new Kentucky forward Justin McBride, who was named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team with the Dukes last season. McBride will go up against his former head coach, Preston Spradlin (a Pikeville native), who was a part of Kentucky’s staff from 2009-2014 under former head coach John Calipari, before taking over as Morehead State’s head coach from 2016-24. UK hosted Spradlin’s Eagles to open the 2020-21 season, a game that Kentucky won handily, 81-45.

Of all the seven teams we’re breaking down, James Madison easily finished last season as the best among the bunch. The Dukes finished last season 18-15 (9-9 Sun Belt) and will feature a new-look team in 2026-27. Spradlin brought in eight transfers and three freshmen to help replace the loss of his top three scorers. James Madison returns just two pieces: Preston Fowler (6.2 PPG) and Paul Jones III (2.8 PPG).

Nov. 13 vs. Northern Arizona

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 321 | NET: No. 315

Northern Arizona finished with a 10-22 (4-14 Big Sky) record last season under Shane Burcar, who is about to enter year eight as the Lumberjacks’ head coach. He’s yet to win more than 18 games in a single season, but is returning three starting pieces from 2025-26: Ryan Abelman (10.5 PPG), Chris Komin (7.8 PPG), and Brennan Peterson (4.8 PPG). Incoming freshman guard Noah George was a three-star high school recruit.

The Lumberjacks join Montana State as the only other Big Sky school to ever take on Kentucky. This will also be just the second-ever trip to the Bluegrass State for Northern Arizona, which lost to Western Kentucky in 2005.

Nov. 16 vs. Grambling State

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 298 | NET: No. 305

Grambling State head coach Patrick Crarey II is about to enter his third season as a SWAC head coach. He went 14-17 with Florida A&M in 2024-25 and then 14-19 in his debut run with the Tigers. Grambling actually saw its 2025-26 season come to an end at the hands of Mo Williams‘ Jackson State squad. Crarey lost three of his top four scorers to graduation, with the fourth transferring out of the program. 11 new faces will make up next season’s roster, including seven-footer Isaiah Miranda, a former top 40 high school recruit who once had some interest from Kentucky.

Dec. 8 vs. Bryant

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 355 | NET: No. 354

After coaching stops at Mount St. Mary’s (which included two NCAA Tournament berths), Siena, and George Washington, head coach Jamion Christian finished 9-22 in his first season at Bryant. He returns a pair of starters from last season: Keegan Harvey (11.2 PPG) and Ty Tabales (9.1 PPG). Otherwise, it’ll be a new-look roster in 2026-27 for the Bulldogs. Christian also brought in a four-man freshman group.

Bryant was one of the worst teams in all of college basketball last season. There are only 365 Division I teams, and the Bulldogs were among the bottom 11 in the country in both KenPom and NET rating.

Dec. 22 vs. Sacred Heart

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 294 | NET: No. 292

Sacred Heart is coming off a 14-19 (9-11 MAAC) finish last season under Anthony Latina, who has spent his entire 13-year head coaching career with the Pioneers. His top three scorers from last season were all graduating seniors. Six new players have been added to the 2026-27 roster, most notably Indiana State transfer Jo Van Buggenhout (6.3 PPG).

Dec. 28 vs. Gardner-Webb

• (2025-26) KenPom: No. 361 | NET: No. 361

The only team from this group of seven that did worse last season than Bryant was Gardner-Webb. Head coach Jeremy Luther, entering year three in charge, led the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a 4-29 finish with just one win in the Big South. By the numbers, Gardner-Webb was among the worst five teams in the country a season ago. The offseason saw a full roster overhaul with 11 new players brought in, seven of them via the transfer portal.

We all know Kentucky’s history with Gardner-Webb. The Runnin’ Bulldogs are the only team among the group that has faced the ‘Cats before. It didn’t end well for UK, either. Billy Gillispie‘s squad infamously lost to Gardner-Webb 84-68 in 2007. It was just the second-ever game Gillispie coached at Kentucky, although he still went on to win SEC Coach of the Year. This game will be 19 years of revenge in the making for the BBN.