Alabama basketball releases 2015-16 schedule

The new scheduling format restores the historic Tennessee-Kentucky rivalry back to an annual home-and-home series.

On top of the national television exposure, Kentucky’s conference schedule is highlighted by home games in Memorial Coliseum against Alabama, South Carolina, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU, Arkansas and Missouri.

The Wildcats did not visit Memorial Gymnasium last season.

A clash against Wake Forest in North Carolina will be the first of five road games during the non-conference portion of the schedule beginning on November 13, as LSU will travel to UALR on November 17, Tulane on November 23 and participate in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida, that also features Purdue, Louisville and Marist November 27-29.

Despite losing two First Team All-SEC forwards in Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey, the Tigers appear to be in even better shape than they were last season.

Kentucky will play all 13 SEC teams at least once during league play in addition to rematches with Alabama, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt in 2016.

Click below to watch KSTV’s breakdown of Kentucky’s 2016 conference schedule, including an explanation of a power shift in the conference as league members try to keep up with the Wildcats.

This marks the seventh year of the 16-game SEC schedule for women’s basketball and the fourth with 14 teams.

Pearl took the Vols to six straight NCAA tournaments and guided the program to its first Elite Eight during his tenure. The Vols will play each of those three rivals at home and on the road every season.

Expectations for Alabama have never been as low as they are heading in to this season with only 10 returning starters – the second fewest in the SEC this season.

The Ole Miss game will start an extended weekend for UK as the Wildcats will host Tennessee on Monday, January 25 on ESPN2 in Memorial Coliseum. South Carolina returns to Columbia to host LSU (Wed., February 10, 7 p.m., ESPN2) and Kentucky (Sat., February 13, Noon, ESPN/2), both teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, with the Wildcats advancing to the Final Four. All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and SEC Network) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

Kentucky’s 2015-16 season will tip off in Rupp Arena on October. 16 at Big Blue Madness.

All 18 league games will be televised on the SEC Network of the ESPN family of networks; however, the originating network is set for only 11 games.