In an exciting matchup, No. 24 Kansas is scheduled to compete against No. 5 Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic on November 18. The game will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be broadcasted live on ESPN.
Kansas Jayhawks Season Overview
Kansas enters the game with a record of 3-1, following a decisive victory against Princeton, where they won 76-57 on November 15. This marks the 22nd time in Bill Self’s 23 years at KU that the team has started the season 3-1 or better.
Kansas Players to Watch
- Darryn Peterson: Exceeding expectations with an average of 21.5 points per game, though he has missed the last two contests.
- Flory Bidunga: Recently achieved a double-double against Princeton, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He averages 17.0 points and leads the team with 7.8 rebounds per game.
- Tre White: Contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds in the last game, averaging 12.0 points this season.
- Bryson Tiller: A redshirt freshman, he averages 9.0 points and is tied for the team lead in three-pointers made.
Duke Blue Devils Season Overview
Duke boasts an impressive 4-0 record, highlighted by a dominant 100-62 victory over Indiana State on November 10. The Blue Devils have won their last two games by over 100 points.
Head-to-Head Rivalry
Duke leads the historical series against Kansas with an 8-7 record. However, Kansas has been more successful recently, winning five of the last six encounters. The last matchup occurred on November 26, 2024, where Kansas triumphed 75-72 in the Vegas Showdown.
Champions Classic Insights
Kansas has a strong performance record in the Champions Classic, winning five consecutive games and holding an overall record of 9-5 in this event—more than any other participating team. In comparison, Duke stands at 8-6, while Kentucky and Michigan State have records of 6-8 and 5-9, respectively.
Kansas Team Statistics
- Averaging 80.3 points per game.
- Plus-20.0 scoring margin.
- 39.5 rebounds per game with a plus-9.0 rebound margin.
- 16.0 assists and 6.5 steals per contest.
- 7.0 blocked shots per game, ranking 12th nationally.
- 8.8 made three-pointers per game.
What’s Next for Kansas
Following the Champions Classic, Kansas will head to Las Vegas for the Players Era event. They will face Notre Dame on November 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with tip-off scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Central. The Jayhawks will also take on Syracuse on November 25 at the same time and location, concluding the event on either November 26 or 27 against yet-to-be-determined opponents.
