How To Watch Kentucky Wildcats Men’s Basketball in 2025
✦ Edited and fact-checked by Managing Editor Mike Strayer, our editorial lead with over 10 years of experience covering TV and sports.
$22 million and a whole lotta expectations for the Wildcats
Mark Pope’s unexpected Sweet 16 run with a completely rebuilt roster did more than just win 24 games last season. It plugged the entire Big Blue Nation back into the program. That excitement, however, has set an astronomical bar for Year 2. The fan base is hungry, the “national title or bust” mentality is back, and the program has responded by reportedly assembling the single most expensive roster in college basketball history—a $22 million investment in talent.
That investment is already paying dividends on paper. This is a consensus preseason Top 10 team led by Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh, the official SEC Preseason Player of the Year. He’s joined by a haul of high-impact transfers like Jaland Lowe (Pitt) and Denzel Aberdeen (Florida), all built around the return of star forward Jayden Quaintance from his off-season injury. The mission is clear: Win it all.
This means you won’t want to miss a single second. The Wildcats will be all over national TV, with games spread across CBS, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and the SEC Network. But the new era of college basketball also brings a new streaming hurdle, as several key non-conference games are exclusive to SEC Network+. Here’s my complete guide on how to watch Kentucky basketball and follow every step of this championship chase.
2025–2026 Kentucky men’s basketball TV schedule
The season tips off on November 4 against Nicholls, which is the first of several early-season games you’ll need SEC Network+ to watch. The schedule is loaded with massive non-conference tests, including a trip to Louisville (November 11), the Champions Classic against Michigan State (November 18), and back-to-back blockbusters against North Carolina (December 2) and Gonzaga (December 5).
Once SEC play begins, all eyes will be on January 31. That’s when Mark Pope takes the Wildcats to Fayetteville for the first-ever showdown with Arkansas and its new head coach, John Calipari. That game, fittingly, is on ESPN. The regular season wraps up at home on March 7 against the defending national champion Florida Gators.
| Opponent | Day | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholls Colonels | Tuesday, Nov. 4 | 7:00 p.m. | SECN+ |
| Valparaiso Beacons | Friday, Nov. 7 | 7:00 p.m. | SECN+ |
| At Louisville Cardinals (#11) | Tuesday, Nov. 11 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Eastern Illinois Panthers | Friday, Nov. 14 | 7:00 p.m. | SECN+ |
| Michigan State Spartans (#22) | Tuesday, Nov. 18 | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Loyola Maryland Greyhounds | Friday, Nov. 21 | 7:00 p.m. | SECN+ |
| Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles | Wednesday, Nov. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | SEC Network |
| North Carolina (#25) | Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Gonzaga (#21) | Friday, Dec. 5 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| North Carolina Central Eagles | Tuesday, Dec. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Indiana | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| St. John’s (#5) | Saturday, Dec. 20 | 12:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Bellarmine Knights | Tuesday, Dec. 23 | 1:00 p.m. | SECN+ |
| At Alabama (#15) | Saturday, Jan. 3 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Missouri Tigers | Wednesday, Jan. 7 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Mississippi State Bulldogs | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 8:30 p.m. | SEC Network |
| At LSU Tigers | Wednesday, Jan. 14 | 7:00 p.m. | SEC Network |
| At Tennessee (#18) | Saturday, Jan. 17 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Texas | Wednesday, Jan. 21 | 7:00 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Ole Miss Rebels | Saturday, Jan. 24 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Vanderbilt Commodores | Tuesday, Jan. 27 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Arkansas (#14) | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Oklahoma Sooners | Wednesday, Feb. 4 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Tennessee (#18) | Saturday, Feb. 7 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Florida (#3) | Saturday, Feb. 14 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC |
| Georgia Bulldogs | Tuesday, Feb. 17 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Auburn (#20) | Saturday, Feb. 21 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| At South Carolina Gamecocks | Tuesday, Feb. 24 | 7:00 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Vanderbilt Commodores | Saturday, Feb. 28 | 2:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Texas A&M Aggies | Tuesday, March 3 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Florida (#3) | Saturday, March 7 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching Kentucky men’s basketball
To watch every single Wildcats game this season, you need a TV plan that provides four things: your local CBS and ABC affiliates, the ESPN channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU), the linear SEC Network, and a way to access SEC Network+ streams.
My top recommendation for Kentucky fans is Hulu + Live TV. The reason is simple: It’s the most complete, all-in-one package. Its channel lineup includes all the linear networks you need—ABC, CBS, ESPN, and SEC Network. But the real game changer is that the plan also includes a subscription to ESPN+ at no extra cost. Since all SECN+ games stream directly through the ESPN+ platform, you don’t have to worry about separate logins or extra fees.
If you prefer other services, Fubo and DIRECTV (Choice package or higher) are also excellent foundational options. Both carry the local channels and the full slate of ESPN networks, including the SEC Network. However, they don’t bundle ESPN+. To get those early-season SECN+ games, you’ll either need to add an ESPN+ subscription (currently $12.99/mo.) or authenticate the ESPN app with your provider login. For fans in rural areas, traditional cable and satellite services will, of course, also carry all these channels.
How to watch Kentucky men’s basketball FAQ
Where can I watch Kentucky men's basketball for free?
You can watch select Kentucky games for free with a good over-the-air (OTA) antenna. This season, the Wildcats have high-profile matchups on both CBS (December 20 vs. St. John's) and ABC (February 14 at Florida). An antenna is a great one-time purchase that gives you access to your local affiliates for life.
How can I stream Kentucky basketball without cable?
The best way to stream every Kentucky game without cable is with a live TV streaming service. My top pick is Hulu + Live TV because it includes ABC, CBS, ESPN, SEC Network, and the ESPN+ subscription needed for SECN+ games.
Can I watch Kentucky basketball on ESPN+?
Yes. While the main national games air on ESPN or SEC Network, all games broadcast on SEC Network+ are simulcast and available to stream directly through an ESPN Select subscription (formerly ESPN+). Given that Kentucky has at least five early-season games exclusively on SECN+, a subscription is essential for any fan who wants to catch the entire season.
What channels show the most Kentucky basketball games?
The overwhelming majority of Kentucky basketball games are broadcast across the ESPN family of networks. This includes ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and the SEC Network.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com editorial team cross-referenced the official Kentucky men’s basketball schedule with the channel lineups of every major TV provider. Using those details, we selected our viewing recommendations based on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
This guide is updated regularly throughout the season to ensure our information is accurate. To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.
