UK Basketball adds Kansas matchup via Big 12/SEC Challenge

The two college basketball programs with the most wins in NCAA history will clash once again during the 2021-22 season.

It was announced Wednesday that Kentucky and Kansas will square off in this year's Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Wildcats will travel to Lawrence for a Jan. 29 matchup that will likely be one of the marquee games of the season.

The matchup will be the 33rd all-time between the Cats and Jayhawks, nine of those coming during the John Calipari era. UK owns a 23-10 lead in the series against KU, but the Jayhawks won last year's meeting at the Champions Classic.

Kentucky last visited Lawrence during the 2015-16 season. Kansas pulled out a 90-84 victory in overtime with the help of a staggering 47 free-throw attempts against Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray & Co.

Ten of the SEC's 14 teams will participate in the 2022 challenge. All 10 games will be air across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU and will be available on the ESPN app. In addition to game times, network designations will be announced at a later date for the challenge.

The Cats are 4-3 all-time in the Challenge. Last year's matchup with Texas, scheduled to be played at Rupp Arena, was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kansas is coming off a 21-9 season and a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks are expected to be led by junior forward David McCormack (13.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg).

In addition to Kansas, UK has already announced nonconference matchups vs. Duke on Nov. 9 in the Champions Classic in New York, a road game at Michigan on Dec. 4, a neutral-site meeting against Notre Dame on Dec. 11, and a matchup with North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic on Dec. 18.

Additional non-conference matchups and the full slate of SEC games will be announced at a later date.