LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky is headed east to begin March Madness.

The Wildcats (21-11) will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, as a 6-seed in this season's NCAA Tournament. Kentucky will face 11-seed Providence in the first round Friday from Greensboro Coliseum. The game is slated to tip off at 7:10 p.m. Friday. It will air nationally on CBS.

"I want to enjoy this run," Kentucky coach John Calipari said Sunday. "And it starts with a very hard game against a really good opponent. So we're going to focus on one thing: that game."

UK is in the East Region of the 68-team bracket, which was released Sunday evening. If the Wildcats advance to the Sweet 16, they will play in New York City.

The Friars (21-11) went 13-7 in Big East play this season. Their leading scorer and rebounder, Bryce Hopkins (16.1 points, 8.5 rebounds per game), spent last season at Kentucky. Five players average at least 10 points per game.

Providence went one-and-done in the Big East Tournament, losing to UConn 73-66 in the quarterfinals.

"These two teams had high expectations, and really had good years," said former Villanova coach and current CBS analyst Jay Wright during the bracket reveal broadcast. "But their fans are crazy. I think the one that gets past this game can get to the Sweet 16."

Sunday marked the 60th time Kentucky earned an NCAA Tournament bid, extending its all-time record. North Carolina, which isn't part of the field this season, is second with 52 appearances. It's the 11th time in John Calipari's 14 seasons as coach Kentucky has clinched an NCAA bid. (The Wildcats would have made the 2020 tournament, which was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.)

Winners and losers:No. 1 Alabama peaking at right time, Texas A&M disrespected

Biggest snubs:Vanderbilt and North Carolina get burned

Want to win your office pool?How to fill out your March Madness brackets for the best odds in NCAA Tournament

East Region breakdown:Should Kentucky be on upset alert?

March Madness 2023 live updates: Selection Sunday brackets, conference tournaments results

But UK enters this year's tournament facing serious questions about its ability to advance after it fell to 15-seed Saint Peter's in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament and went one-and-done at the SEC Tournament last week, upended by Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals.

Kentucky's most recent NCAA victory was a 62-58 win over Houston in the 2019 Sweet 16.

The Wildcats began the 2022-23 campaign as a preseason pick to win the SEC and a top-five team nationally — and a popular pick to reach its first Final Four since 2015. But they lost early marquee matchups to Michigan State, Gonzaga and UCLA, and dropped three of their first four SEC games, the low point coming at the hands of lowly South Carolina, which snapped Kentucky's 28-game win streak at Rupp Arena.

After losing at Georgia on Feb. 10, UK was projected to miss the Big Dance.

Since then, however, the Wildcats have rallied, winning five of their last seven games. The two losses are at the hands of the Commodores, one of the best teams in the nation since Feb. 1.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket set: Kentucky vs Providence in 1st round