Ranking the 12 best college basketball non-conference games of the 2023-24 season

9. Kansas at Indiana - Dec. 16

Any time you get to see two of college basketball's blue bloods square off in an iconic venue it earns a spot on this list. Kansas did well here to schedule a true road game in Indiana as the Hoosiers will look to spring an upset at Assembly Hall, which is one of the most difficult places to play in the nation.

Hoosiers' fans will undoubtedly be fired up for this game, which will also bring old rival Hunter Dickinson back to the Midwest wearing Jayhawks' blue. Even with Kansas projected as the top team in the nation there is significant upset potential here as Indiana has a lot of talent as well.

8. Texas at Marquette - Dec. 1

This contest will be known as the Shaka Smart game as his former program comes to visit his current one, which is projected to win the Big East this season. Marquette returns 85 percent of its minutes and has the favorite for Big East Player of the Year in guard Tyler Kolek, who will be a difficult matchup for the Longhorns.

Texas also has a lot to prove in this game as Rodney Terry's team will be mixing some key returners alongside impact freshmen and top transfers like former Oral Roberts star Max Abmas, who transferred up to the Big 12 after a strong career in the Summit League. Expect a lot of fireworks from this one.

7. Kansas vs. Kentucky - Nov. 14 in Chicago

This matchup is one half of the Champions Classic, an annual event that pits four of the country's premiere programs against each other at the start of the season. Kansas-Kentucky serves as the night's undercard, which is wild to think about when the game features the No. 1 team in the preseason poll alongside one of the bluest blue bloods in the sport.

While Kansas will be heavily favored, Kentucky has a lot of firepower to throw at the Jayhawks with John Calipari's latest class of fantastic freshmen. If the kids are up to the moment we could be in store for an early season shocker at the United Center.