Kentucky Faces Top Teams in Champions Classic 2028

Wildcats to Open Season Against Michigan State, Duke

Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball Set for Early Season Tests

The University of Kentucky men's basketball team will face a daunting challenge in the 2028 Champions Classic. The Wildcats will open their season against the Michigan State Spartans in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 15th. Just three days later, they will travel to New York City to face the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden.

The Champions Classic is an annual early-season college basketball tournament that features four of the top programs in the country. The other two teams participating in the 2028 event are the Kansas Jayhawks and the Villanova Wildcats.

Kentucky is coming off a disappointing season in which they finished 26-8 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. However, the Wildcats return several key players from that team, including All-American candidate Oscar Tshiebwe. They also added several talented newcomers, including five-star recruit Cason Wallace.

Michigan State is also coming off a down year, finishing 15-13 and missing the NCAA Tournament. However, the Spartans have a talented roster led by sophomore guard A.J. Hoggard and junior forward Malik Hall.

Duke is always a contender for the national championship, and the 2028 team is no exception. The Blue Devils have a loaded roster led by freshman phenom Dariq Whitehead and junior forward Kyle Filipowski.

The Champions Classic games in less than two years. Kentucky is 6-4 all-time in the Champions Classic, including a 3-1 record against Michigan State and a 2-2 record against Duke.