Kansas head coach Bill Self applauds his players as they close in on the Texas Tech lead during the second half on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

The Kansas men’s basketball team released its full nonconference schedule on Wednesday afternoon, outlining a slate featuring a variety of high-level opponents.

“Once again we have a non-conference schedule that should be one of the most challenging non-conference schedules that anyone will play,” KU head coach Bill Self said in a press release. “We have a home game against UConn … in early December, away matchups at North Carolina and NC State and neutral games (with) Duke in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden, the three games at the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, and another with Missouri in Kansas City. Those, along with the Big 12 competition, make this a very tough and demanding schedule. Our non-conference slate should certainly prepare us for what will be considered another great Big 12 season.”

The UConn matchup on Dec. 2, first reported earlier on Wednesday, is the centerpiece of the home schedule, as well as a rematch of the 69-65 thriller KU won at Allen Fieldhouse two seasons ago. The Jayhawks have never lost to the Huskies and will put that streak on the line in a battle of teams who accounted for three straight national titles prior to last year.

KU will face Duke in the Champions Classic in New York on Nov. 18 and will look for its sixth consecutive victory in that event, as well as another against the Blue Devils after defeating them in the Vegas Showdown last November.

The Jayhawks’ road game at North Carolina moved up a week from its originally scheduled date and will now take place on Nov. 7; it is the second half of a home-and-home, the first installment of which KU won 92-89 last year. KU will also travel to N.C. State on Dec. 13 after beating the Wolfpack 75-60 at Allen Fieldhouse during the 2024-25 season.

Other previously reported or announced games include the exhibition date at Louisville on Oct. 24, the season opener at home against Green Bay on Nov. 3, a home game against Princeton (now revealed to take place on Nov. 15) and a neutral-site rivalry battle with Missouri at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, revealed to take place on Dec. 7.

New on the schedule are a home exhibition against Division II Fort Hays State on Oct. 28 and home regular-season games against mid-major foes Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Nov. 11, Towson on Dec. 16 and Davidson on Dec. 22, ahead of the start of the 18-game Big 12 Conference schedule.

Still yet to be determined is exactly whom KU might play in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving week. The Jayhawks will play three games against high-level competition between Monday, Nov. 24, and Thursday, Nov. 27.

KU is currently assembling a team around highly touted freshman guard Darryn Peterson, one that also features rising sophomore center Flory Bidunga, the lone returning player who saw action during the 2024-25 campaign.

Nonconference schedule

Friday, Oct. 24: at Louisville (exh.)

Tuesday, Oct. 28: vs. Fort Hays State (exh.)

Monday, Nov. 3: vs. Green Bay

Friday, Nov. 7: at North Carolina

Tuesday, Nov. 11: vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. Princeton

Tuesday, Nov. 18: vs. Duke in New York City

Monday-Thursday, Nov. 24-27: vs. Players Era in Las Vegas

Tuesday, Dec. 2: vs. UConn

Sunday, Dec. 7: vs. Missouri at the T-Mobile Center

Saturday, Dec. 13: at N.C. State

Tuesday, Dec. 16: vs. Towson

Monday, Dec. 22: vs. Davidson