Kentucky addresses cancellation of UK-Virginia Tech basketball game

Earlier this month, Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams said that Kentucky had originally signed a contract to play the Hokies at Madison Square Garden on December 8th for this season.

Williams argued that the game had been cancelled without any knowledge of Virginia Tech. Tech instead scheduled Washington for the Boardwalk Classic in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

On Tuesday, Kentucky deputy athletic director DeWayne Peevy spoke with Virginia Tech Insider about the comments made by Williams.

“We never got to a point of a contract. Definitely a verbal agreement, headed to produce a contract.”

Instead of playing the Hokies, Kentucky opted for Seton Hall, which is based in New Jersey. Kentucky went on to lose the matchup, 84-83.

Peevy did confirm, however, it was Kentucky’s decision to withdraw out of the game. He went on to elaborate on the decision and how they landed on choosing Seton Hall.

”It was a thing that the Garden was looking for as far as [attendance] numbers. But also from a [UK coaching] staff standpoint, we were playing so many ACC schools this year, with us playing Duke and North Carolina, that once the opportunity came to play another team other than Virginia Tech… they were in agreement with that as well.”

The 13th-ranked Hokies are off to a 9-1 start this season. If this game had stayed on the schedule, it would’ve made December even tougher for the Wildcats. Kentucky still needs to face North Carolina and Louisville this month. They play the 9th-ranked Tar Heels at a neutral site, but will travel to Louisville to play the Cardinals, who are currently undefeated at home.