Lipscomb won’t release its entire 2012-13 men’s basketball schedule until next week.
But on Tuesday it became apparent what the headliner of the non-conference slate will be — a trip to defending national champion Kentucky.
The Bisons will play Kentucky on Dec. 15 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., marking the teams’ first meeting since 2005.
“When people think of college basketball they think of Kentucky,” Lipscomb coach Scott Sanderson said. “To be able to play those guys in Rupp Arena, like we did in 2005, is a great opportunity for the program and for the university.”
Lipscomb went 13-18 and finished sixth in the Atlantic Sun Conference last year.
Kentucky was nearly perfect with a 38-2 record on its way to an eighth national championship. The Wildcats have won 52 straight games at Rupp Arena. John Calipari has not lost a home game there in his first three seasons as head coach.
“Any team that plays Kentucky is going to be excited about it. There is a difference,” Sanderson said. “We have played at North Carolina, at Memphis and N.C. State. We have played in a lot of places. And by far that is the best atmosphere I have ever been in for playing a college basketball game.”