Bill Self and the Kansas basketball program schedule one of the toughest nonconference slates year in and year out. However, one tradition that has been a mainstay of KU's yearly rotation has been the Champions Classic.

We're now entering Year 16 of the event, which features four of college basketball's premier programs (Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, and Michigan State). This year in the United Center, the Jayhawks will face off against Kentucky for the sixth time in the showcase's history.

KU holds a 3-2 lead over UK since the Champions Classic began, and there have been some thrilling battles over the years. Here's an in-depth look at how those matchups have played out between these two blue bloods.

Nov. 15, 2011: Kentucky 75, Kansas 65

In Kansas' first-ever appearance in the Champions Classic, it ran into the immovable force that was the Anthony Davis-led Wildcats. Kentucky would go on to beat that same KU team in the national title game.

The two schools were tied at halftime, but UK went on a run to open the second half and never looked back. All five Wildcats in the starting lineup posted double figures in the scoring department, while Davis sent back seven shots.

Tyshawn Taylor led the Jayhawks in scoring with 22 points, 15 of which came at the foul line. However, sloppy offensive possessions (14 turnovers, 33.9% field-goal shooting) ultimately contributed to KU's demise in the event's inaugural edition. At the time, nobody could have guessed that it would become one of college basketball's most prestigious in-season tournaments.

Nov. 18, 2014: Kentucky 72, Kansas 40

Three years after their first Champions Classic meeting, Kentucky handed the Jayhawks a beatdown for the ages. It was a relatively close contest for the first 20 minutes of the night, but it was all Kentucky afterward.

KU's 12 points scored in the second half were the lowest total to date under Coach Self and broke all kinds of unwanted program records. So many great stories emerged from this blowout, including this clip from former KU superstar Devonte' Graham on a podcast a few years ago.

Kentucky played Kansas in the Champions Classic in 2014 and beat them 72-40 to kick off CBB.

Devonte’ Graham (KU player that year) said they arrived at practice the very next morning and Coach Bill Self had no basketballs out.

“Y’all are just going to run until I get tired.” pic.twitter.com/03IcI5ya6g

— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) August 16, 2023

Just like the 2011-12 Kentucky squad Kansas previously faced, this UK group would go on to win 38 games and cement itself as one of the deepest rosters in NCAA history despite coming up short against Wisconsin in the Final Four. This performance was a preview of what was to come from the Wildcats that season, though Jayhawk fans' memories aren't nearly as fond.

Nov. 14, 2017: Kansas 65, Kentucky 61

Coming into the 2017 clash, Kansas was winless against UK and Michigan State and had largely underachieved in the event. However, this contest was the one when Self and his coaching staff finally broke through.

It came down to the wire and Kentucky even led with under five minutes remaining, but a clutch three from Malik Newman and timely free throws were enough to come out victorious in this defensive affair. Svi Mykhailiuk led all Jayhawks with 17 points, and big man Udoka Azubuike tallied 13 points and eight rebounds on perfect field-goal shooting.

From this point on, the Jayhawks have dominated the Champions Classic, amassing a 7-2 record over the past decade.

Dec. 1, 2020: Kansas 65, Kentucky 62

This was probably the most bizarre installment of the series, given that it was played in Bankers Life Fieldhouse with no fans due to COVID-19 regulations. To make matters even stranger, Kentucky eventually endured its worst season of the modern era — a disastrous nine-win campaign that was a far cry from the program's usual standards.

Nonetheless, Kansas still got the job done, and it even needed to overcome a 13-point deficit to do so. Jalen Wilson posted a massive 23-point, 10-rebound double-double in the winning effort, and 21 of those points were scored in the second half. It was a much-needed bounce back for the Jayhawks after they fell to No. 1 Gonzaga in the season opener.

Fans on both sides can agree that they hope no future Champions Classic games are played in an empty arena. The event simply isn't the same without a crowd.

Nov. 14, 2023: Kansas 89, Kentucky 84

In the fifth and most recent meeting between Kansas and Kentucky in the Champions Classic, the Jayhawks won their third straight matchup. Behind 50 combined points from Hunter Dickinson and Dajuan Harris, KU was able to rally back from a 14-point deficit in the second half to climb above .500 in the event.

Tomorrow's showdown will determine whether the Jayhawks can maintain their winning record in the series. The atmosphere surrounding the contest certainly feels different with John Calipari no longer coaching from the opposing sideline, but it is still one of the most highly anticipated games in nonconference play.