Kentucky returns to CBS Sports Classic in December

Kentucky men’s basketball returns to the CBS Sports Classic in December when the Cats take on Ohio State at Madison Square Garden, December 21 at 4:30 PM CT in New York City.

The Wildcats and Buckeyes will host the second leg of the doubleheader, with UCLA and North Carolina kicking off the action at 2:00 PM CT.

Fans interested in attending the event can register to receive direct email alerts about ticket news and other event details at www.cbssportsclassic.com/tickets. Fans who register for these alerts will receive important information about travel package sales and will also be eligible for an exclusive ticket pre-sale.

“As we enter our 11th year of the CBS Sports Classic, we are excited to return to the iconic venue at Madison Square Garden, home to some of the nation’s most elite men’s basketball programs,” said Dan Weinberg, EVP Programming, CBS Sports. “Throughout our more than four decades of covering college basketball, we have presented the game at the highest level, from the first tip-off of the season to the final buzzer in April, and the CBS Sports Classic is a great example of our commitment to highlighting on the best in college basketball.”

Madison Square Garden is the seventh different location to host the CBS Sports Classic, having already done so in 2022. During the 10-year history of the CBS Sports Classic, the United Center in Chicago (2014, 2018), Barclays Center in Brooklyn (2015), T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (2016, 2019, 2021), Smoothie King Center in New Orleans (2017), Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland (2020) and State Farm Arena in Atlanta (2023) have also hosted the event.

The CBS Sports Classic annually brings together four of the most successful college basketball programs in the country. The quartet owns a total of 26 national championships, with UCLA (11), Kentucky (8) and North Carolina (6) ranking first, second and third, respectively, in NCAA history. Additionally, all four programs rank in the top six Final Four spots of all time, with 66 total appearances (North Carolina, 21; UCLA, 18; Kentucky, 17; Ohio State, 10).

GAME AT GONZAGA SET

The third installment of a six-year series between Kentucky and Gonzaga will take place on December 7, 2024 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. A game time and television network will be announced at a later date.

Tickets for this year’s matchup go on sale to the public on June 28 at noon CT at climatepledgearena.com.

The teams will meet during the 2025-2026 season in Nashville, at the Bridgestone Arena.