The Kentucky men's basketball team announced a pair of exhibition contests for its 2023-24 campaign. UK will take on Georgetown College on Oct. 27 and Kentucky State on Nov. 2 inside of Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
The game against Kentucky State will serve as the 2023 version of the Unity Series. In each of the past two seasons, UK has played a regular-season contest against an historically black college and university, but this season will partner with Kentucky State. The game aims to raise awareness of the missions of the HBCUs and to raise funds to provide opportunities for students at their institutions.
During the first two years of its partnership with HBCUs, the Wildcats and their opponents have participated in educational field trips to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Museum in Cincinnati, were given resources to better brand themselves in the new name-image-likeness space, were provided career center resources and participated in joint dinners at John Calipari's radio show.
Kentucky is 150-12 all-time in exhibition games and has won 29 straight, which includes UK's 4-0 trip to Toronto this summer. UK is 47-1 in exhibition contests under Calipari.
Game times and television designations will be announced at a later date.
This season's contest against Georgetown College will mark the fourth time the teams have met in an exhibition game. The teams first met in 2005 with UK winning 85-63. It will be the third time under Calipari that UK has welcomed the Tigers to Rupp Arena. In the last meeting in 2019, UK prevailed 80-53. Prior to the 2005 matchup, the teams last met in 1938 in the regular season.
For the second straight season, the Cats will welcome the Thorobreds for an exhibition game. Kentucky is 3-0 in such games with Kentucky State visiting Rupp in 2015, 2019 and 2022. A year ago, UK used 23 points from Antonio Reeves to top the Thorobreds by a 111-53 score. Adou Thiero chipped in with seven points and five boards, while Ugonna Onyenso led the way on the boards with 11 snags and also generated four blocked shots.
