Kentucky Basketball hosts James Madison at Rupp Arena on Friday

The 23rd-ranked Kentucky Wildcats host the James Madison Dukes this Friday at 7 p.m. for a non-conference matchup at the legendary Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The game will be broadcast live and streamed on the SEC Network, with live radio coverage available through The Varsity Network App with Dave Riggert and Joe Mitchin on the call.

Kentucky and James Madison Meet for First Time

Friday’s contest marks the first-ever men’s basketball meeting between Kentucky and James Madison. Kentucky enters the game at 1-0 after bouncing back from an early deficit against Manhattan, closing the first half on a 41-13 run. Meanwhile, the Dukes stand at 0-1 following an 86-77 loss to Miami (OH) in the MAC-SBC challenge, a game in which James Madison shot 34 triples and made 14 of them. The Dukes finished last season 18-15 under head coach Preston Spradlin.

Familiar Faces on the Sidelines and Court

James Madison head coach Preston Spradlin returns to Lexington, where he previously served as a graduate assistant from 2009 to 2011 and as the director of basketball operations from 2011 to 2014. Kentucky forward Justin McBride played for Spradlin last season before entering the transfer portal, averaging 15.3 points and 5.6 rebounds as a Duke.

Players to Watch

Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic enters Friday’s game after making six three-pointers in Kentucky’s debut against Manhattan, tying a school record for the most made in a debut. For James Madison, Paul Jones III led the team with 14 points in their season opener, supported by double-digit scoring efforts from Ace Meeks, K.J. Windham, and Adrian Myers.