No one expected the Kansas basketball team to have such an easy time against Kentucky in the Champions Classic. It was expected to be a tough, hard-fought game, as it usually is when the two winningest schools in college basketball clash.
Kansas was down 10-5 early but shook off that early deficit and then controlled the game from that point on. KU had a 10-lead at halftime and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half. The final score of 89-69 was indicative of how well the Jayhawks played.
This performance was even more unexpected after the news that Melvin Council Jr. broke his foot Monday and would miss around two months. Kansas responded by playing a terrific all-around game and never gave Kentucky hope in the second half.
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Kansas players were obviously having fun as they executed well across most fronts
One significant thing that was obvious, so much so that the ESPN broadcast team on Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas pointed it out several times, was how much fun the Kansas players were having. They were laughing and smiling throughout the second half, playing free and easy.
The other thing that was so noticeable was how well they were playing together, for each other. The Jayhawks made 32 shots last night and had 24 assists. Head coach Bill Self had to be thrilled with that part of the game. His best teams have always played their best when they were selfless on the court.
Kansas also played tenacious defense for most of the game. They took Kentucky out of their offense, forcing 15 turnovers that led 22 points, many in transition. Kansas had 10 turnovers, but Kentucky didn't score a single point off those miscues.
Meanwhile, Kentucky was unable to do much to stop KU, either in transition or in the half court. Kansas mostly did what they wanted on the offensive end.
Tre White led the team with a career-high 30 points, while Tyran Stokes added 23. Trey Kauffman-Renn was the only other Jayhawk in double-digits with 12. Eight Jayhawks scored at least one basket.
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Self played 13 players, though four of those were in the waning seconds. Nine players saw at least eight minutes; eight of them played double-digit minutes. Only Paul Mbiya didn't see some court time.
Kansas outplayed Kentucky in just about every aspect of the game. KU, despite not being super athletic at the post, outrebounded the Wildcats, 40-35. All nine rotational players contributed at least one rebound, with Stokes leading the team with 10, which gave him a double-double. Kaufman-Renn and White added six boards each.
Rebounding, offense, defense, passing, and transition—these are all things the Jayhawks did well against Kentucky. There are some things Kansas needs to address, but everyone, including the coaches, players, and fans, should enjoy this victory.
Kansas now has the best record of the four schools in the Champions Classic. After 16 years, KU has a 10-6 record, and has a winning record against all three of the other teams.
😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/XPHKCkcVcj
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) November 11, 2026
Next up for the Jayhawks is UNLV in the Players Era festival next week. If KU plays like they did against Kentucky, they could win their second straight Players Era tournament.
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