Bill Self has never been one to shy away from non-conference competition. This season, in the Jayhawks' opening few games. Kansas finds itself going against the Tar Heels from the University of North Carolina, the University of Connecticut, and what ESPN ranks as one of the top non-conference matchups of the season, a showdown with the Duke Blue Devils.
According to Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello from ESPN in their "100 days to men's college basketball article," the two picked out 10 of the best non-conference games with Kansas and the Blue Devils making the litter.
"The result of this game will matter come Selection Sunday, but it's also an opportunity for Duke's Cameron Boozer and Kansas' Darryn Peterson to strengthen their respective cases to be the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA draft."
The two meet head-to-head for the 16th time in their November 18th matchup. As it stands, Duke holds the upper hand with an 8-7 margin; however, Kansas has taken the last two matchups, both by narrow margins, the first being a 69-64 Jayhawks win in November of 2022. The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in a thrilling 75-72 Kansas victory last season, which saw Kon Knueppel's potential tying three-point shot rim out of the basket, giving Self's team its sixth-straight win on the season. This win came in large part due to Kansas posting four double-digit scorers in Hunter Dickinson, AJ Storr, Dajuan Harris Jr., and Zeke Mayo, each carrying the load.
But this season provides a different narrative. Last year was dominated by a relatively old Kansas team led by Michigan transfer Dickinson. Now, the hopes are fostered by a young Darryn Peterson. Peterson has been stocked with high hopes, and his early-season matchup against Cam Boozer will be one to watch. Boozer stands at 6-foot-9 and will likely host a frontcourt position. Opposed to Peterson, who reaches 6-foot-5 and will take up a guard position for Kansas.
According to recruiting outlet 247Sports. The Jayhawks have been handed the 15th-best class in the 2025 cycle, anchored by the No.1 player Peterson; however, rising stars like Kohl Rosario, Samis Calderon, Corbin Allen, and Paul Mbiya will further the strength of the class.
Duke was rostered with the top class in the nation, led by the aforementioned Boozer, who was touted as the 3rd-ranked prospect in the nation for a class that saw fellow five-star Nikolas Khamenia be the second of the four top-50 recruits Jon Scheyer has enlisted.
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