Texas set to face Kentucky at Rupp Arena in Big 12-SEC Challenge

The Texas Longhorns will travel to Rupp Arena in January for a matchup against John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats as part of this season’s Big 12-SEC Challenge on the hardwood, the conferences announced on Wednesday. The game will be played on Saturday, Jan. 30. Tip time will be announced at a later date.

Remember, former Texas assistant coach Jai Lucas left Austin this offseason to fill a vacant coaching role on Calipari’s staff. There will be familiarity and severed ties on both sides in this game.

Like they do almost every year, Kentucky has to replace their entire starting lineup from last season. Guards Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Ashton Hagans, and big men Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery are all gone. Yet, they reload with a plethora of incoming five-star freshmen and impact transfers this season. The Calipari way.

Further meaning this matchup will be a clash between one of college basketball’s most experienced and youngest teams.

The last time these two programs met was back in December of 2014 at Rupp Arena. Calipari’s top-ranked Wildcats defeated Rick Barnes and the Longhorns in a low-scoring game, 63-51.

With the 2020-21 college basketball season just over a month away, reconfigured non-conference schedules are currently in the process of being finalized. The men’s basketball program plans to release opponents and dates when contracts are agreed upon.

Here’s what is known so far:

2020-21 MBB Schedule

Nov. 25 vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley (Erwin Center)

Nov. 30 - Dec. 2: Maui Invitational (Asheville, NC) — Davidson, Indiana or Providence, TBD

Dec. 6 vs. Villanova (Erwin Center)

Dec. 13 at Baylor (Ferrell Center)

Dec. 20 vs. Oklahoma State (Erwin Center)

Jan. 30 at Kentucky (Rupp Arena)