The Kansas University men’s basketball team won’t be playing in the season-opening Guardians Classic.

The U.S. Supreme Court did not comment Wednesday when it rejected an emergency request from sports promoters challenging the NCAA’s 2-in-4 rule that prohibits Division I teams from playing in more than two exempt tournaments in a four-year period.

Thus, KU, which played in the Preseason NIT last year and the Maui Invitational in 2001, isn’t eligible to play in the Classic, which would have included two games Nov. 17-18 in Allen Fieldhouse and two games Nov. 24-25 in Kansas City’s Kemper Arena.

“Whether we like it or dislike it, the fact is at least we have a decision,” said KU senior associate athletic director Larry Keating, who along with dozens of other schedule makers have been awaiting final word before completing their hoop schedules.

“What was happening was every two weeks a delay was coming up again. Now we just need to get one more game. We have 26 of 27 games done. Once we receive word from one school, we’ll be able to complete the schedule.”

KU contracted Tuesday to meet Richmond Jan. 10 at Allen Fieldhouse. That contest, which does not require KU to make a return trip to Richmond, Va., will be shown on ESPN.

KU’s final foe figures to be a similar opponent.

“We could pick up a home-and-home (series) if it was the right team,” Keating said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. It’s going to be another game where somebody comes in for one year. We’re trying to make it attractive enough so ESPN might possibly pick it up.

“We’re trying to get a date tied down and get into a TV spot, which is more difficult than just trying to get one game.”

The opponent could be a team that had planned to play in the Guardians Classic but was denied entry.

KU’s top nonconference home opponent will be Michigan State, which will play Nov. 25 in Allen Fieldhouse.

Other home dates on KU’s tentative home slate, which was obtained by the Journal-World two weeks ago: Pittsburg State (Nov. 11), UT-Chattanooga (Nov. 21), Fort Hays State (Dec. 10) and SUNY-Binghamton (Dec. 29).

KU will meet Oregon Dec. 13 in Kemper Arena and play Cal Santa Barbara and Nevada at the Reno Classic in Nevada Dec. 20-21. KU also tentatively will travel to TCU Dec. 1 and play Stanford in the Wooden Classic Dec. 6 in Anaheim, Calif.

KU’s Big 12 Conference schedule includes four Big Monday games — Feb. 2 at home against Missouri and at Colorado (Jan. 5), Oklahoma State (Feb. 9) and Texas (Feb. 23). KU will return the trip to Missouri March 7 in the league finale for both teams.

Other home games for KU: Kansas State (Jan. 14), Colorado (Jan. 25), Texas Tech (Feb. 7), Baylor (Feb. 18), Iowa State (Feb. 21), Oklahoma (Feb. 29) and Nebraska (March 3). Other road games: Texas A&M (Jan. 17), Kansas State (Jan. 28), Iowa State (Jan. 31) and Nebraska (Feb. 15).

• More on rule: The NCAA’s 2-in-4 rule might ultimately be overturned. The courts will hear an NCAA appeal in January on a Columbus, Ohio, judge’s ruling earlier this summer which threw out the 2-and-4 rule. The 2-in-4 rule forced 11 of 28 exempt tournaments to be canceled last season.
• Holladay’s son in Iraq: Former KU assistant coach Joe Holladay’s son, Matt, will remain in Iraq until April. The paratrooper in the 173rd airborne division has been in Iraq since last spring.

“They are open targets in the North,” said Holladay, who wanted to thank KU fans for their prayers for his son. “It’s the power of positive thinking.”

Holladay, now an assistant for former KU coach Roy Williams at North Carolina, hasn’t spoken to his son since March 7. “He can’t say where he is or what he’s doing,” Holladay said. “He’s been well trained to do his job. I’m proud of him and we can only hope he remains safe.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.