Kentucky announced its 2006-07 men?s basketball non-conference schedule Friday, which includes a trip to Hawaii for the EA Sports Maui Invitational, eight regular-season games at Rupp Arena and matchups with traditional foes North Carolina, Indiana and Louisville.

UK returns to Maui for the first time in four seasons and the fourth time overall (previous appearances in 1993-94, 1997-98 and 2002-03). The Cats are joined by Memphis, UCLA, Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, DePaul, Purdue and host Chaminade in the 2006 event. The bracket for this year?s tournament, scheduled for Nov. 20-22, will be released later.

The Wildcats open the season Nov. 15 by hosting Miami (Ohio), followed by a home game with Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 17.

Former Georgia Tech head coach Bobby Cremins brings his first College of Charleston club to Rupp Arena Nov. 28. After a road game against North Carolina on Dec. 2, UK heads to Louisville?s Freedom Hall Dec. 5 to take on Chattanooga. Rival Indiana comes to Lexington Dec. 9, and the Cats play at Louisville Dec. 16.

The Wildcats close out non-conference play with four-straight home games against Santa Clara (Dec. 19), Massachusetts (Dec. 22), Eastern Kentucky (Dec. 29) and Houston (Jan. 3). The UMass game pits former Wildcat guard Travis Ford, in his second season with the Minutemen, against his alma mater. UK will return that game to Boston?s TD Banknorth Garden in 2007-08, and also returns to Houston to play the Cougars in 2007-08.

?Our program always plays a challenging schedule, and this year certainly fits that profile,? Head Coach Tubby Smith said. ?Playing in Maui is a great early-season experience for our team, and it gives us three opportunities to play top-notch competition. Of course, our fans always look forward to seeing us play North Carolina, Indiana and Louisville. It?s a non-conference schedule that will prepare us well for the SEC, one of the toughest leagues in the nation.?

Prior to regular-season action, Kentucky hosts a pair of exhibition games; Nov. 2 against in-state foe Lindsey Wilson and Nov. 6 versus South Carolina Upstate.

Times and television assignments, along with UK?s SEC schedule, will be available later.