LAWRENCE, Kan. _ Games against Kentucky in the Champions Classic and Creighton in the Big 12/Big East Challenge, a pair of contests in the Wooden Legacy tourney and the resumption of the Border War versus Missouri highlight Kansas' 2020-21 nonconference men's basketball schedule.
The Jayhawks, who unveiled their nonconference lineup Wednesday, will also play in the Big 12/SEC Challenge against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
KU, which went 28-3 last season, will meet John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats in its regular-season opener Nov. 10 at Chicago's United Center.
The Jayhawks will then open home play with three games _ against Southern Utah (Nov. 13), Eastern Illinois (Nov. 16) and Stony Brook (Nov. 20) _ before heading to the Wooden Legacy Tournament Nov. 26-27 in Anaheim, Calif. KU will face two of three teams from a pool of Virginia, UCLA and Georgetown at Anaheim's Convention Center. Matchups have not been announced.
The Jayhawks will meet Creighton on Dec. 3 in Allen Fieldhouse in the Big 12-Big East Challenge. KU will then play host to Omaha on Dec. 8 before meeting Missouri on Dec. 12 in the first of six Border Showdown Series matchups versus the Tigers _ it's a home game in KU's season-ticket package.
USC will then play KU at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 19. KU will travel to Colorado on Dec. 22. Then KU will host Harvard on Dec. 29 before opening Big 12 play Jan. 2.
The Jayhawks will play a yet-to-be-determined foe on the road in the Big 12-SEC Challenge on Jan. 30.
"Once again we will have one of the toughest schedules in the country," KU coach Bill Self said. "We have a minimum of four games against teams that will be ranked in the preseason top 10 with Kentucky, Creighton and Baylor (two meetings). And that does not even mention the other teams that will be ranked like USC, Colorado, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Texas and the SEC opponent just to mention a few."
