The Eastern Michigan basketball team's 2012-13 schedule includes a trip to Rupp Arena to face the defending national champion Kentucky Wildcats.

Kentucky released its non-conference schedule on Tuesday and it includes a Wednesday, Jan. 2 date with the Eagles in Lexington. It's the Wildcats' final tuneup before Southeastern Conference play begins on Jan. 8.

Eastern Michigan, which will be playing its second season under coach Rob Murphy, has not released its schedule.

When the Eagles pay their visit, Kentucky will be a very different team than the one that beat Kansas, 67-59, for an NCAA title in April. Six players from that team were selected in June's NBA draft, including the top two overall picks -- Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

But Kentucky coach John Callipari's cupboard won't be bare. He signed another top-ranked recruiting class.

Eastern Michigan went 5-10 in non-conference games last season, including a 2-9 record in road games. The Eagles faced three major-college non-conference opponents, losing 72-40 at home against Michigan State and dropping road games at Syracuse (84-48) and Purdue (61-36).

EMU went 9-7 in league play and won a Mid-American Conference East Division title.