Aug. 9, 2002
2002-03 Schedule | Printable Schedule
Tradition-rich Kentucky will open its 100th year of men’s college basketball at the Maui Invitational in November, facing such talent as national runner-up Indiana, Utah, Gonzaga and Virginia. The tournament, which also features Arizona State, Chaminade and UMass, is only a preview of the competitive schedule announced today by the University of Kentucky.
The 29-game regular-season slate includes 10 games with 2002 NCAA Tournament teams, including the first game in a new two-year home-and-home series with Michigan State at Rupp Arena in December. The teams split the series on a previous two-year contract that featured games in 1999 and 2000.
“It’s a pretty testy schedule with a number of schools that owned outstanding won-lost records last season,” said Tubby Smith, beginning his sixth season as head coach of the Wildcats. “Again, this schedule will be one of the toughest in the country. We will be tested early and often. Not only do we have a lot of great non-conference teams on the schedule, but the Southeastern Conference is shaping up to be as good as it’s ever been.”
Following exhibition games with traditional opponents Athletes in Action and Nike Elite, the Cats head to Maui for the first time since the ’98 national championship season. A potential matchup with the Hoosiers highlights the three-day tournament on ESPN. It could be the first of two games against the border rivals in the first month of the season as the two will square off at Louisville’s Freedom Hall on Dec. 21.
UK opens the home schedule against Smith’s alma mater, High Point, on Dec. 3. The Cats then travel to their first true road game of the season at North Carolina on Dec. 7. On Dec. 10, the Wildcats pay a visit to former assistant coach Shawn Finney and his Tulane Green Wave in New Orleans Arena, the new home of the NBA’s Hornets.
Following the pre-holiday games with Michigan State and Indiana, UK returns to Freedom Hall on Dec. 28 to face the host Cardinals and former UK coach Rick Pitino.
Kentucky then plays host to Tennessee State and Alcorn State on Dec. 30 and Jan. 2, respectively. Alcorn State made the NCAA Tournament field of 65 last March, but fell to Siena, 81-77, in the play-in game. Lexington native Davey Whitney, who played his prep basketball at old Dunbar High School and college hoops at Kentucky State, coaches the Braves.
The Cats make their annual trip to Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena, formerly known as the Firstar Center, to face Ohio on Jan. 4.
The 2003 Southeastern Conference schedule begins a week later this year, and the Cats open the league slate at Tennessee on Jan. 8. After three SEC games, UK faces its final non-conference opponent, Notre Dame, on Jan. 18 in Rupp Arena.
Highlights of the league schedule include a visit to the 2002 SEC champs, Alabama, on Jan. 25, and a Senior Day visit to Florida on March 8 to close out the regular season. Seniors Keith Bogans and Jules Camara close out their Rupp Arena careers against Vanderbilt on March 5.
The schedule features 13 nationally televised games in addition to the Maui Invitational. UK plays seven games on ESPN and six on CBS. Again this season, every game will be televised either live or delayed.
Kentucky began play in 1903 and has plans for a year-long celebration of its 100th season. The Wildcats open practice with Big Blue Madness on Friday, Oct. 11.
— Go Cats —
