Head Coach Drew Cooper and the Kentucky Wesleyan men’s basketball team has added two games to its exhibition schedule for the 2021-22 season — most notably against the University of Kentucky.
The Panthers will open their exhibition slate on Oct. 29 in Lexington as they head to Rupp Arena to take on the Wildcats.
The Wildcats are coming off a down season in 2020-21, going just 9-16 (8-9 SEC) and falling in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
“The University of Kentucky has always done an admirable job of spreading their resources throughout the Commonwealth’s small college landscape,” Cooper said. “It has been a long time since Kentucky Wesleyan made a trip to Rupp and I’m thrilled for our players that they will get to experience one of the best atmospheres in all of basketball. We’ll be working hard to make it a great 40 minutes and see that each program behooves from Oct. 29.”
KWC will stay closer to home a week later as they head across the river to take on the University of Evansville Aces at 6 p.m. on Nov. 4.
The Aces are coming off a 9-16 (7-11 MVC) season that saw them fall in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to Indiana State. Just two years ago Evansville upset No. 1 Kentucky 67-64 in Rupp Arena.
“Evansville is a program that is turning the corner and will surely compete well in the Misssouri Valley Conference this season,” Cooper said. “With us being right across the river, this game is a way to engage the tristate with some great basketball.”
