LEXINGTON, Ky. – ESPN2 will televise the Illinois State men's basketball team's Nov. 30 non-conference game at 2015 Final Four qualifier Kentucky, it was announced Wednesday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The Monday-night contest will pit ISU against UK for the first time in program history.
In 2014-15, Kentucky (38-1) became the first team in college basketball history to go 38-0 and the third program to win an NCAA-record 38 games in a single season. The Wildcats did not suffer a loss until falling to Wisconsin in the Final Four.
Throughout UK head coach John Calipari's six seasons, Kentucky has made four trips to the Final Four, playing for the national championship twice and winning it in 2012. UK also captured the 2014-15 Southeastern Conference (SEC) title.
Meanwhile, Illinois State (22-13) advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2014-15 after falling short in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The Redbirds upset No. 8 Wichita State during their MVC Tournament run, and ISU has beaten a Top-25 team in each of its last four seasons.
Although ISU and UK have never met, the Redbirds are historically successful against members of the SEC, earning a 6-1 all-time record versus SEC opponents. Illinois State's most recent victory over an SEC foe occurred in a Mar. 24, 2014 win against Texas A&M.
Kentucky is among six 2015 NCAA Tournament teams the Redbirds will face during the 2015-16 season.
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