Competing in a non-conference showcase next season, the Lamar University men’s basketball team will play a national powerhouse inside one of sport’s most storied venues.
Lamar will clash with the University of Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Sunday, November 24. The Cardinals last faced Kentucky in 2011, falling to the Wildcats 86-64 in Lexington.
Next season’s game is part of the BBN (Big Blue Nation) Showcase, which was announced by Kentucky’s athletic department. Other participating teams include the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Utah Valley University and Mount St. Mary’s University.
Lamar has never beaten Kentucky in three tries. The Wildcats also played host to Lamar in 2008 and 1986.
The meeting in 2011 featured future pro players on both sides, specifically Wildcats’ stars Anthony Davis, Terrance Jones and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. However, Lamar guard Mike James was the game’s leading scorer with 29 points.
Both schools would go on to enjoy successful seasons. The Cardinals won the Southland Conference’s automatic bid into the 2012 NCAA tournament under then-head coach Pat Knight. Led by Davis’ stellar performance, Kentucky was eventually crowned national champion.
Last year, Lamar’s most notable non-conference opponent was Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Cardinals’ full 2019-20 schedule has yet to be released by the school.