We continue to roll through our SEC basketball non-conference schedule previews for the 2018-19 season with a look at Kentucky’s road ahead.
John Calipari once again has a team filled with talent, but he also has more experience than he’s had in recent years.
That combination has the Wildcats ranked No. 2 in the nation entering the season, and they have a schedule that will test that ranking right from the opening tip.
Let’s look at the complete list of non-conference opponents for the upcoming season.
For Kentucky’s full schedule, visit the team’s official website.
vs. Duke (Nov. 6, Champions Classic)
2017-18 Record: 29-8
Season Outlook:
This matchup needs no introduction, as we all know about the history between these two schools.
Duke will yet again find itself in the national title hunt thanks to a loaded freshman class that includes three top five recruits – RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion Williamson.
Just like with Kentucky, what decides how far Mike Krzyzewski’s will be how the chemistry comes together between the incredibly talented newcomers.
vs. Southern Illinois (Nov. 9)
2017-18 Record: 20-13
Season Outlook:
The Salukis should be right in the middle of the Missouri Valley title race this season along with Loyola Chicago and Illinois State.
Southern Illinois returns all five starters from a 20-win squad, including three-double digit scorers in Armon Fletcher (14.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Kavion Pippen (12.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), and Sean Lloyd Jr. (12.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg).
Barry Hinson’s team relies on a lot of scoring from inside the arc (291st nationally last season in 3PT field-goal attempts), which could present some challenges against a long, athletic Kentucky team.
vs. North Dakota (Nov. 14)
2017-18 Record: 12-20
Season Outlook:
New year, new conference for the Fighting Hawks as they move from the Big Sky to the Summit League.
Brian Jones only returns four players from last year’s team, and replacing top scorer in Geno Crandall (transferred to Gonzaga) could be a challenge.
Luckily, three of the four returns averaged in double figures, and North Dakota will continue to push the pace (26th nationally in average possession length last season at 15.7 seconds) even with a large group of new faces on the roster.
vs. VMI (Nov. 18)
2017-18 Record: 9-21
Season Outlook:
The Keydets have yet to win more than nine games in a season since Dan Earl took over in 2015, but that could change with the team’s four best scorers back in the mix.
Of course, to take a drastic step forward, VMI’s offensive approach will have to be way more efficient after finishing 335th nationally in scoring offense (65.1 ppg) and 346th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency.
vs. Winthrop (Nov. 21)
2017-18 Record: 19-12
Season Outlook:
Pat Kelsey returns eight of his top 10 scorers, which should have the Eagles fighting for a spot near the top of the Big South standings.
Even with the loss of Xavier Cooks, there’s a lot of experience on the roster, and Kelsey brings in a few newcomers that should contribute right away.
Winthrop will likely keep pushing the pace after finishing in the top-35 in average offensive possession length in each of the past three seasons.
vs. Tennessee State (Nov. 23)
2017-18 Record: 15-15
Season Outlook:
Brian “Penny” Collins takes over for Dana Ford, who left to become the head man at Missouri State.
Ford did a phenomenal job rebuilding the Tennessee State program, and Collins has enough to work with to keep the momentum going in year one.
There are several JUCO additions to the roster as well as a few key contributors returning from last season, so the Tigers should be able to stay competitive in the OVC.
vs. Monmouth (Nov. 28)
2017-18 Record: 11-20
Season Outlook:
It was a struggle for King Rice and company last season after several years of dominating the MAAC.
This year, there are still plenty of unknowns after the early departure of top playmaker Micah Seaborn, who bolted for the professional ranks.
Rice will have a young team on the court this season, and it’s one that’ll need to find a way to win close games considering that nine of the Hawks’ 20 losses last year came by five points or less.
vs. UNC Greensboro (Dec. 1)
2017-18 Record: 27-8
Season Outlook:
The reigning SoCon champions nearly pulled off an incredible upset against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament, and now Wes Miller’s team is back with a shot at returning to the madness.
Leading scorer Francis Alonso (15.6 ppg, 40.1 3PT) is back, as is four of the team’s top five scorers overall.
The Spartans were excellent on defense last season, finishing fifth nationally in scoring defense (62.5 ppg) and 26th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
vs. Seton Hall (Dec. 8, Citi Hoops Classic)
2017-18 Record: 22-12
Season Outlook:
Things will look a little different for the Pirates this season after the departure of four impactful seniors.
Kevin Willard will likely rely on another breakout season from Myles Powell (15.5 ppg, 31.7 mpg), but considering that he’s the only returner that played more than 17 minutes per game, there will need to be other players that step into featured roles.
Toughness and defense have defined this program in recent years, so those two elements should still be on display even with a new-look rotation.
vs. Utah (Dec. 15)
2017-18 Record: 23-12
Season Outlook:
Speaking of teams with a lot to replace, that’s the case for the Utes.
Four starters are gone from last year’s NIT runner-up squad, but the good news is that Sedrick Barefield (12.0 ppg, 29.2 mpg) is back for his senior year after a great ’17-18 campaign.
One newcomer worth watching is Charles Jones Jr., who was named NJCAA player of the year last season after averaging 24.2 points per game at Southern Idaho.
vs. North Carolina (Dec. 22, CBS Sports Classic)
2017-18 Record: 26-11
Season Outlook:
Here’s another Kentucky opponent that needs no introduction. The Tar Heels enter the season ranked No. 8 in the country, and the return of Luke Maye (16.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg) has a little something to do with that.
It also helps that Roy Williams brings in a top-15 recruiting class that features the nation’s third-best prospect in versatile 6-7 forward Nassir Little and 5-star shooting guard Coby White.
There won’t be as much experience on the roster, but it’s safe to say that Williams has another potential title contender on his hands in Chapel Hill.
at Louisville (Dec. 29)
2017-18 Record: 22-14
Season Outlook:
The Chris Mack era is officially underway for the Cardinals, and you can expect the same type of playing style that made his teams successful at Xavier.
Louisville will value efficiency on offense while being physical and aggressive on defense, and that type of approach could help Mack put things together quicker than most people think.
VJ King (8.6 ppg) is the top returning scorer, but adding three grad transfers and UConn transfer Steven Enouch will give Mack and company some options to work with.
vs. Kansas (Jan. 26, SEC/Big 12 Challenge)
2017-18 Record: 31-8
Season Outlook:
Who knows whether Kansas and Kentucky will be in the top two spots in the poll by the time this game rolls around, but it shouldn’t shock anyone if they are.
Bill Self not only welcomes a top-five recruiting class, but he adds the Memphis transfer duo of Dedric and KJ Lawson.
However, one of the biggest unknowns surrounding this team is the status of sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa, who is being withheld from competition due to an eligibility review after the trial of former Adidas executive James Gatto.
Overall Schedule Analysis
Kentucky’s schedule looks about like you would expect it to look.
There are a trio of games against potential national title contenders in Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina, and matchups against other power conference opponents like Seton Hall, Utah, and Louisville won’t be easy (even if those teams seem to be rebuilding).
Every year, we always wonder how quickly the chemistry will come together for the Wildcats due to the amount of youth on the roster.
Thanks to the addition of Stanford grad transfer Reid Travis, that question may be easier to answer than it has been in recent years.
This is undoubtedly a Kentucky team that can win it all, and there’s a good chance this could wind up being one of the best teams Calipari has had during his tenure in Lexington.
For more SEC basketball coverage follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell. If you want more knowledge heading into the 2018-19 season, visit our full catalog of previews.