The Kentucky Wildcats are putting the finishing touches on their 2026-27 basketball schedule, and another intriguing opponent is reportedly set to make its way to Rupp Arena.
According to Rocco Miller, Kentucky has reached an agreement to host the Wichita State Shockers during the upcoming season. While an official date has not yet been announced, the matchup is expected to fill one of the remaining openings on Kentucky’s non-conference schedule.
For Kentucky fans, the matchup should immediately bring back memories of two unforgettable NCAA Tournament battles between these programs.
Kentucky and Wichita State have met twice in the NCAA Tournament, with the Wildcats winning both games. However, those victories came in very different circumstances and featured two completely different Kentucky teams.
The first meeting took place in the 2014 NCAA Tournament and remains one of the most memorable games in Kentucky basketball history. Wichita State entered the Round of 32 as the No. 1 seed with a perfect 35-0 record. The Shockers were attempting to become one of the few teams in college basketball history to complete an undefeated season.
Standing in their way was an eighth-seeded Kentucky team loaded with young talent.
John Calipari’s Wildcats featured future NBA stars Julius Randle, James Young and the Harrison twins, among others. Despite being a lower seed, Kentucky had the talent to challenge Wichita State, and the Wildcats ultimately pulled off a stunning 78-76 victory.
The win ended Wichita State’s undefeated season and gave Kentucky tremendous momentum. The Wildcats went on to make an incredible run all the way to the national championship game, where they ultimately fell to Connecticut.
Three years later, Kentucky and Wichita State met again in the Round of 32.
This time, the Wildcats entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed, while Wichita State was the No. 10 seed. Kentucky once again had an extremely talented roster, led by future NBA stars De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo.
The matchup was another tightly contested battle, but Kentucky once again found a way to survive. The Wildcats defeated the Shockers 65-62 and advanced to the Sweet 16.
Now, nearly a decade after that tournament matchup, the two programs are preparing to meet again, this time inside one of college basketball’s most iconic arenas.
Wichita State will enter the matchup under head coach Paul Mills, who is entering his fourth season with the program. Mills took over after Gregg Marshall’s lengthy tenure and has steadily improved the Shockers.
Wichita State went 15-19 during Mills’ first season, improved to 19-15 in his second, and finished 24-12 last season. Although the Shockers have yet to reach the NCAA Tournament under Mills, they have appeared in the NIT in each of the past two seasons.
That steady progress should make Wichita State a respectable test for Kentucky, particularly during the early portion of the season.
For Kentucky, the game will provide another opportunity to test its roster before SEC play begins. The Wildcats are expected to face a challenging non-conference schedule, and adding a program with NCAA Tournament history against Kentucky gives the slate another interesting storyline.
The game does not have an official date yet, but Thanksgiving week appears to be a logical possibility because Kentucky currently has an opening around that portion of the schedule.
Regardless of when the matchup is played, Kentucky fans should have plenty of reasons to be excited. Wichita State has already played the role of spoiler against other programs, but against Kentucky, the history has gone in the Wildcats’ favor.
The upcoming meeting will be different from those tournament classics, with new coaches, new players and a completely different era of college basketball. Still, the history between these programs adds an extra layer of intrigue.
Kentucky has now added Wichita State to what is shaping up to be an interesting 2026-27 non-conference schedule. If the Shockers continue their upward trajectory under Mills, their trip to Rupp Arena could provide the Wildcats with one of their more competitive tests before conference play begins.
