LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It’s not just an exhibition. It’s a basketball blessing.
On Friday night, Rupp Arena hosts one of the most anticipated preseason games in Kentucky basketball history as the No. 9 Wildcats welcome No. 1 Purdue for a low-stakes, high-powered exhibition showdown.
Thanks to a new NCAA rule allowing D-I programs to face each other in public preseason games, Mark Pope didn’t hesitate in scheduling the nation’s top-ranked team — calling it "a gift" and "an unbelievable opportunity to go really see who we are at the very highest level."
Pope isn’t just experimenting, he’s competing.
“Yes. The answer is yes,” Pope said when asked if his Wildcats were playing to win. “This group is just hardwired that way. They’re going to try and win.”
Both teams return major pieces from successful 2024-25 campaigns.
Kentucky comes off a Sweet 16 run in Pope’s debut season and brings back SEC Preseason Player of the Year Otega Oweh, alongside key transfers like Jaland Lowe (Pitt) and Denzel Aberdeen (Florida), though Lowe is not expected to play on Friday after a shoulder injury.
Purdue counters with the dynamic backcourt of Braden Smith (Big Ten POY) and Fletcher Loyer, plus dominant forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who averaged 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds last season
It’s not just a talent test — it’s a culture clash of top-10 bluebloods preparing for title runs.
“We’re going to take full advantage of this while doing everything we can to win,” Pope said. “But still not leave anything on the table in terms of learning about ourselves.”
For Purdue, it’s a rare road exhibition and a chance to gauge its preseason No. 1 ranking against elite SEC competition. For Kentucky, it’s a primetime chance to showcase a new era under Pope in his second season.
Let the "data collection" begin, but make no mistake -- the final score matters, too.
How to Watch
- Date: Friday, Oct. 24
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Venue: Rupp Arena (20,500) Lexington, Ky.
- TV: SEC Network (Tom Hart, Jimmy Dykes)
- Radio: WLAP 630-AM, UK Radio Network (Tom Leach, Jack Givens)
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