PRESEASON: Georgetown to Visit Kentucky for Exhibition on October 30th

The Hoyas are headed for a challenge in Rupp Arena

Your Georgetown Hoyas have scheduled an exciting preseason test as they head to Lexington, Kentucky, to face the University of Kentucky Wildcats in an exhibition game. This high-profile matchup is set to take place on Thursday, October 30, inside the iconic Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Time and broadcast information will be determined. Hoya fans are optimistic that this exhibition game is indicative of a high-caliber nonconference schedule.

This game marks a significant development for both programs, enabled by newly adopted NCAA rules that now permit Division I programs to participate in preseason exhibitions like this one. It’s important to note that this contest is strictly an exhibition and will not count towards either team’s official records or statistics for the season.

For the Hoyas, this game presents an opportunity to measure up against one of college basketball’s perennial powerhouses before the regular season officially tips off. While a trip to KY is likely not out of the cards for many diehard Georgetown fans, the hope is this is an indication of some tougher opponents as Ed Cooley enters his third year as head coach of Georgetown.

This upcoming exhibition game renews a historical matchup, albeit in a different format. Georgetown and Kentucky have faced each other twice previously in official contests, with the Hoyas holding a 2-0 record in those meetings.

The first game was a regular season matchup way back in the 1921-22 season, where Georgetown secured a 28-23 win at home. The more recent and arguably more famous encounter occurred during the 1984 NCAA Final Four, where Georgetown defeated Kentucky 53-40 en route to claiming the 1984 NCAA Championship.

While Ed Cooley hasn’t coached Georgetown against Kentucky before, he has faced a Kentucky squad three times in his career, most recently while coaching Providence College in the 2023 NCAA Tournament First Round, a game that Kentucky won.

Kentucky is now led by Head Coach Mark Pope, who is entering his second season with his alma mater. In Pope’s inaugural season, Kentucky finished with a 24-12 overall record and a 10-8 mark in SEC play. The Wildcats advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with wins over Troy and Illinois before falling to Tennessee.

According to UKAthletics, Kentucky’s team for the 2025-26 season features a mix of returning players, significant transfers, and highly-touted first-year signees.

Among the players who contributed to Kentucky’s 24-12 season and are mentioned as returning are:

• Collin Chandler: He shot effectively from three-point range over his final six games last season, making 12 of 23 attempts (52.2%) against NCAA Tournament teams.
• Brandon Garrison: As a sophomore, he produced seven double-figure scoring efforts and shot 50.9% from the field in 17.3 minutes per game.
• Trent Noah: He had a notable performance with 11 points in an upset victory over No. 5 Tennessee at home.

Kentucky is also bringing in a highly-ranked transfer class. UKAthletics mentions the following transfer additions:

• Denzel Aberdeen from Florida: A 2025 National Champion, he averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game last season, shooting 41.8% from the field and 35.0% from distance. In his five starts, he averaged 14.4 points and shot 41.4% from three.
• Mouhamed Dioubate from Alabama: A two-time NCAA Sweet 16 participant, he averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season, scoring double-figures 13 times and recording five double-doubles.
• Jaland Lowe from Pitt: An All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer, he started all 31 games for Pitt and averaged a team-high 16.8 points per game along with 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals.
• Reece Potter from Miami of Ohio: A Lexington native, he averaged 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per contest over two seasons, shooting 45.4% from the field and 39.8% from three.
• Jayden Quaintance from Arizona State: A National Defensive Player of the Year late season finalist, he started all 24 games he played, averaging 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 1.5 assists, while shooting 52.5% from the field.
• Kam Williams from Tulane: He earned American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team honors, averaging 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, shooting 41.2% from distance in his lone season with the Green Wave.

Additionally, Kentucky has three first-year signees mentioned:

• Andrija Jelavić: Described as one of the top European prospects, he has averaged 11.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per game for Mega Superbet in the Adriatic League.
• Jasper Johnson: A member of Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit, he averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game in the Overtime Elite League.
• Malachi Moreno: Named Mr. Kentucky Basketball, he led his high school team to its first state title, tallying 24 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in the championship game. He was also a McDonald’s All-American selection and a member of Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit.

Braydon Hawthorne, a 4-star 2025 small forward previously committed to West Virginia, announced his pledge to join the Wildcats on Tuesday.

This exhibition game provides a fantastic opportunity for our Hoyas to get an early look at a talented roster and test their mettle in a high-energy environment at Rupp Arena. It’s one of two self-declared marquee exhibition contests Kentucky is hosting, with the other being against Purdue.

While the opponent features many new faces, this matchup is a chance for Cooley’s squad to gain valuable experience and build momentum before the official start of the season.

Fans will be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the game time and TV channel, which should be available at a later date.

In the meantime, mark your calendars for October 30th and get ready.