Kansas basketball vs. Duke Preview: Champions Classic
It’s Kansas basketball season (almost)! The #3 Jayhawks take on the #4 Duke Blue Devils in the Champions Classic Tournament at Madison Square Garden to kick off the season.
After Kansas basketball fans were left with a sour taste in their mouth last March, a revamped Kansas team is set to hit the court this Tuesday against fellow blue blood Duke. Here’s everything you need to know for the big game.
#3 Kansas basketball
The Jayhawks come into this season with a squad full of talent, including two of the best players in the country. Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike are expected to do big things this season for Kansas, and the Jayhawks will need both to stay healthy for a chance at a deep run in March.
Last season, Azubuike injured his wrist early in the season against Wofford. The injury seriously hurt the Jayhawks’ chances in March, as the Jayhawks struggled without the dominating presence of Azubuike. When the big man decided to come back this season for his senior year, it was a huge moment for the 2019-20 Kansas basketball team. Now, Azubuike will once again be the key to keeping Kansas basketball in the hunt for another Final Four.
Sophomores Devon Dotson and Ochai Agbaji are both set to have huge seasons too. Agbaji, in particular, looked spectacular in both exhibition games. He shot the ball extremely well, and if he continues that trend he will undoubtedly crack the first round in the 2020 NBA Draft.
The Jayhawks rolled through both of their exhibitions leading up to Duke. Against Fort Hays State, the Jayhawks soundly beat the Tigers 86-56 and then decimated Pittsburg State by a score of 102-42. One area Kansas basketball seemed much improved was shooting. The Jayhawks have been shooting the lights out, and hopefully, the hot shooting will continue into the season.
#4 Duke basketball
In their first exhibition of the year, the Blue Devils got a scare from Northwest Missouri State, who took Duke to the wire. The Blue Devils managed to hold on, but the Bearcats nearly pulled off the upset in a 69-63 loss. Duke played much better the following game, blowing out Fort Valley State 126-57.
Tre Jones is back and expected to have a big season for the Blue Devils, as the sophomore made an appearance on Sports Illustrated’s Top 10 Preseason Candidates for 2019-20 National Player of the Year along with Kansas’ Devon Dotson. Jones is expected to be the leader for Duke this season, and the season hinges on Jones and his ability to be a leader on the floor.
As usual, the Blue Devils pulled in a strong 2019 recruiting class. Freshmen Vernon Carey, Matthew Hurt, Wendell Moore, and Cassius Stanley are all expected to play important roles this season.
Similar to the Jayhawks, Duke is also going to have a deep and experienced bench that will include senior Javin DeLaurier and other experienced players like Jack White.
Kansas vs. Duke matchup
As of now, Duke leads the overall series with Kansas 5-7; however, Kansas got the most recent win with a victory in the 2018 Elite Eight.
Probably the most interesting part of this game will be the battle between Tre Jones and Devon Dotson. The two point guards both had tremendous freshman years, and now the future NBA players will look to lead their respective teams to a Final Four.
The Kansas defense will also be tested if the Jayhawks decide to play two bigs at the same time. Silvio De Sousa and Udoka Azubuike struggled to guard when the two were on the floor together against Fort Hays State, and Duke will undoubtedly test the Jayhawk bigs ability to guard a guard.
Another battle to watch will be between head coaches Bill Self and Mike Krzyzewski. Both coaches are Hall of Famers and national champions, and both are considered geniuses when it comes to basketball. With both teams boasting incredible amounts of talent, the difference in the game could easily be coaching.
Notable injuries/Suspensions
Kansas basketball will likely be missing Iowa transfer and sharpshooter Isaiah Moss who’s battling a hamstring injury. Moss didn’t play against Fort Hays State and only played a few minutes against Pittsburg State.
Prediction
This is going to be a good one. Both teams have extremely talented rosters, and the winner will get a nice start to the beginning of their season. The point guard matchup will be captivating, with both Dotson and Jones having massive expectations. A lot of questions about both teams should get answered for both teams, as right now, it’s difficult to tell exactly how good both teams relative to each other. With that being said, expect a close one.
Related Story. Player Spotlight: Sophomore Devon Dotson. light
The game is set to tip-off at 6:00 PM central time on ESPN.
Prediction: 92-87 Kansas