Kentucky Basketball: Looking Ahead to Confirmed Non-conference Opponents for 2016-17

Kentucky announced this afternoon the official signing of their 2016 class, which features De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo, Wenyen Gabriel, Sacha Killeya-Jones, and Tai Wynyard.

The six signees will make their debut in October 2016 (if Wynyard redshirts) before a raucous crowd at Big Blue Madness. Who do the six signees have to look forward to in the way of opponents next season?

We take a look.

Confirmed

November 15, 2016 -- vs Michigan State -- Madison Square Garden (New York, New York)

November 28, 2016 -- vs Arizona State -- Atlantis Resort (Nassau, Bahamas)

December 3, 2016 -- vs UCLA -- Rupp Arena (Lexington, Kentucky)

December 10, 2016 -- at Hofstra -- Nassau Coliseum (Long Island, New York)

December 17, 2016 -- vs North Carolina -- TBD (Las Vegas, Nevada)

December 31, 2016* -- at Louisville -- KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, Kentucky) (*date may change)

TBD -- vs Big XII opponent (Kansas?) -- Rupp Arena (Lexington, Kentucky) (Big XII/SEC Invitational)

Several of these teams offer a storyline with UK's newest recruits and possibly returning players. Tyler Ulis was recruited heavily by Michigan State as the Spartans at one point appeared to be his destination before John Calipari came calling.

It's rare to see a school come into North Carolina and beat out the Tar Heels for five-star prospects, but that's exactly what UK did with Adebayo. He plays high school in the Tar Heel state while Killeya-Jones also has a hometown in North Carolina, though he's played high school ball in Virginia. UNC will likely be very depleted next year, and watching those two go against them will only make it sting more after offering both.

Arizona State may not have the name of some of these programs, but playing in the Bahamas is always fun. They also may have former UK target Thon Maker, which combined with a second-year team under Bobby Hurley should make this a nice challenge.

As for Louisville, they were one of Fox's finalists before he ultimately picked UK, but passing on the Cards is nothing new for top-20 prospects.