Little Rock basketball to face Kentucky in exhibition game in Lexington
Travis Ford will lead Little Rock into Lexington this Friday for a preseason exhibition contest. The meeting tests his revamped roster against a prominent opponent before official games begin. Little Rock meets the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena. The venue serves as the alma mater for Ford.
The coaching staff at Kentucky features two of his former college teammates. Wildcats head coach Mark Pope and John Pelphrey both played with Ford. Pelphrey lived as his college roommate for two years.
“I’m excited to go back, you know, incredible memories at Kentucky. But most importantly, I’m excited to take my team to Rupp Arena for them to experience it and to see where we’re at as a team. We need to get better because of this game, but also enjoy the atmosphere.”
Ford described Kentucky as potentially the biggest team in the country. He pointed directly to their starting size.
“They’re probably the biggest team in America. Every starter is going to be six-six or taller. Their point guard is six-six, two guard is six-seven, three man is six-nine, four man is seven foot, starting center is seven-one.”
The Trojans feature a heavily changed roster for the 2026-27 season. Little Rock carries fourteen new players into the year. Only one player returns from the previous squad.
They also operate under a new head coach. The exhibition provides an early look at player progress. Ford noted the team remains in a learning stage.
“We’ll be a lot better team in January than we will be right now. A lot that everybody’s still figuring out. They’ve been a joy to work with. I’m excited for the season to get here.”
An exhibition game is a preseason contest that does not count toward official win-loss records. Teams use these matchups to test player rotations before the regular schedule begins. Little Rock will officially open the regular season on the road against VCU.
The game tips off at 6 p.m. Friday in Lexington. The Trojans will test their lineup in front of the Kentucky crowd.
