UK Basketball: Duke atop rivalry wish list

The landscape of college basketball is changing with conferences changing from smaller cells into larger ones. The addition of Missouri and Texas A&M in the Southeastern Conference, presents potential scheduling conflicts, endangering traditional rivalries in favor of more conference games in the future.
Kentucky currently has rivalry games with North Carolina, Indiana and Louisville. One of those teams may have to be dropped in favor of a conference game. If there is one rivalry that needs to go for now, I would guess Indiana and keep the Tar Heels for now.
Maybe down the road, evaluate the North Carolina series and maybe switch in favor of the Hoosiers.
One rivalry that doesn’t need to be touched is the Kentucky-Louisville series. The game is good for both schools and is a natural rivalry that needs to stay on the schedule today, tomorrow and always.
Although it’s impossible to fill the schedule up with rivalries and intriguing contests, here are a few teams that I have placed in my bucket wish list.
Duke: Bring the Blue Devils to Rupp and the Cats can play at Cameron Indoor Stadium. A series of this nature would be comparable, if not bigger than the “Dream Game” series when Kentucky and Louisville renewed their instate rivalry in 1984. Talk about a blockbuster series.
Arizona: The two teams haven’t played since 2000 when the Cats lost to the Wildcats 63-51 in the Pre-season NIT that season.
Butler: The Bulldogs’ recent success in the collegiate ranks would warrant a home-and-home series and give the Cats a chance to play at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kansas: The Jayhawks and Wildcats are two of the most storied programs in the history of college basketball. It’s a natural rivalry.
Michigan: Kentucky doesn’t play many teams who have yellow as the most dominant color. All kidding aside, these two teams haven’t played each other since the Final Four in 1993.
Notre Dame: Another one of those blasts from the past rivalry games.
Minnesota: This series Would give former UK coach Tubby Smith a chance to get back to Lexington and would be good to see one of Tubby’s teams play the Wildcats.
Oklahoma State: Like Kansas, the Cowboys are steeped with tradition. A home-and-home would give former Wildcat Travis Ford an opportunity to come home to Rupp Arena dressed in orange and black. The last time Kentucky played Oklahoma State was in 1975.
UCLA: Now this would be a college blockbuster between two of college basketball’s biggest giants.
I know this is wishful thinking, but it’s Christmas. Make sure Santa sees this wish list. You just never know.