Fans of both Kentucky and Louisville were taken aback Wednesday when a date for their annual basketball matchup was announced.

The Wildcats and Cardinals will battle on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Yum! Center in Louisville, the earliest the Bluegrass State rivals have ever faced each other. Tipoff time and broadcast information has yet to be determined.

For added perspective on the unusually early tipoff, the game will be played 18 days before the annual Governor's Cup clash between the football Cats and Cards.

Barring any schedule changes, it would mark the season opener for Kentucky and Louisville, who are both expected to be ranked in the Top 10 under second-year head coaches Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the Cats will play an exhibition game against highly ranked Purdue at Rupp Arena on Oct. 24. That could give UK something of a measuring stick before facing the Cards.

The teams have traditionally played in December, with most of the recent matchups coming around the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The last time UK and UofL met in November was a 78-70 win by the Cats on Nov. 27, 1993, at Rupp Arena. Tony Delk had 19 points to lead Rick Pitino's team to victory over Denny Crum's Cards.

Kentucky and Louisville also played in the season opener on Nov. 26, 1983. It was dubbed "Dream Game II," and the Cats avenged their NCAA regional final loss to the Cards eight months earlier with a 65-44 rout at Rupp Arena behind a game-high 19-point performance by Jim Master. That sparked a Final Four run for UK and marked the beginning of the annual series between the rivals.

Kentucky has won 15 of the last 20 matchups and owns a 40-17 all-time record against Louisville.