Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Wildcats Release Non-Conference Schedule

John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats have officially released their 2012-13 non-conference schedule. Marquee matchups include a bout with Maryland in New York City and a duel with Duke in the Georgia Dome.

Per UKAthletics.com, here is the Kentucky non-conference schedule:

• Oct. 12: Big Blue Madness
• Oct. 24: Blue/ White 
• Nov. 1: Northwood (Exhibition)
• Nov. 5: Transylvania (Exhibition)
• Nov. 9: Maryland (Played at Barclays Center in New York City)
• Nov. 13: Duke (Played at the Georgia Dome)
• Nov. 16: Lafayette
• Nov. 21: Morehead State
• Nov. 23: Long Island
• Nov. 29: @ Notre Dame (SEC/ Big East challenge)
• Dec. 1: Baylor
• Dec. 4: Samford
• Dec. 8: Portland
• Dec. 15: Lipscomb
• Dec. 22: Marshall
• Dec. 29: @ Louisville
• Jan. 2: Eastern Michigan

I'll make a few quick points about the schedule:

Instantly, you can see that Calipari's realization of playing big games away from Rupp Arena is coming to fruition. The biggest home game of the non-conference season is clearly Baylor on Dec. 1, followed by...Marshall? 

Morehead State is a nice home draw, although Murray State would've been an intriguing matchup. Isaiah Canaan will never play the Wildcats in Rupp Arena. Long Island finished 25-9 last season and lost to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.

The rivalry with Indiana has ended, but games against Duke and Baylor should fill that void nicely. 

Could we witness an undefeated Louisville vs. Kentucky matchup on Dec. 29? Fortunately for the Wildcats, there will be no game in Freedom Hall. Last season's near-disaster against Arkansas-Little Rock will not be repeated.

Fans looking for quality home games may be disappointed, but this schedule works nicely with the impending difficulty of SEC play.