No. 23 Kentucky men's basketball opens Mark Pope's third season vs. Manhattan
The gist
No. 23 Kentucky opens its men's basketball regular season at home against Manhattan on Nov. 3.
It's a pivotal third year for coach Mark Pope after a 22-14 season.
How it unfolded
- Oct 7, 2026Kentucky finalizes a 35-game 2026-27 schedule — 32 regular-season games and three exhibitions — with 22 at Rupp Arena, 10 away and neutral-site matchups against Kansas, Indiana and North Carolina.
- Oct 16, 2026Kentucky beats Little Rock 69-49 in its first exhibition game.
- Oct 23, 2026Kentucky beats Texas Tech 76-65 in exhibition play.