Rick Pitino, St. John's Set to Face Kentucky in 2025 CBS Sports Classic, Replaces UCLA

Rick Pitino is set to face one of his former teams next season with St. John's scheduled to play Kentucky during the 2025-26 season.

Pitino and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope announced on Thursday their teams will square off in the 2025 CBS Sports Classic. The game will be played on Dec. 20 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello originally reported that St. John's was replacing UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic to set up a matchup with the Wildcats.

The CBS Sports Classic began in 2014 with Kentucky, UCLA, North Carolina and Ohio State comprising the four-team field every year since its inception.

Matt Jones of Ky Sports Radio reported on April 27 there was "chatter" that one of the regular participants in the CBS Sports Classic was trying to pull out of the event and St. John's or Connecticut were being considered as opponents for Kentucky.

Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch noted the Bruins are expected to return in 2026.

There has been no official word on why UCLA will skip this year's event, but the travel schedule for the team's first season in the Big Ten seemed to take a toll on head coach Mick Cronin.

This will mark Pitino's first game coaching against Kentucky since December 2016 when Louisville defeated the Wildcats 73-70.

Pitino spent eight seasons as Kentucky's head coach from 1989 to '97. He led the program to the Final Four three times and a national title in the 1995-96 season. Next season marks the 30th anniversary of that championship season.

The Red Storm tied the program record with 31 wins last season in Pitino's second year as head coach. They earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, losing to Arkansas in the second round.

In his first season at Kentucky after replacing John Calipari, Pope led the Wildcats to a 24-12 record. They reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament before being eliminated by Tennessee.