Kansas gets one more big preseason measuring stick on Sunday, and the assignment could hardly be stiffer: No. 2 Duke is coming to Allen Fieldhouse for a noon Central tip in the State Farm Blue Blood Classic.
The exhibition will air on ESPN and give the No. 17 Jayhawks a chance to see where they stand against one of the sport’s heavyweight programs before the games start counting.
Kansas comes in 1-1 in exhibition play, having beaten Pittsburg State 80-62 before dropping an 89-83 decision to Louisville on Oct. 21.
That Louisville game offered a look at both sides of this Kansas roster. Tre White poured in 25 points and hit four 3-pointers, Melvin Council Jr. added 20, and freshman Tyran Stokes chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds. The Jayhawks showed enough offensive punch to get your attention, but the loss also pointed out the areas that still need cleaning up.
Bill Self has plenty to sort through with 12 newcomers in the program this season, and Sunday gives him another live test. Council and White are among the veterans expected to steady things, while Stokes and fellow freshman Taylen Kinney keep adjusting to college basketball.
Duke brings its own buzz after opening exhibition play with two wins. The Blue Devils blasted Tennessee 103-64 on Oct. 20, a result that showed off both their scoring depth and their defense against another high-end opponent.
If Kansas is going to hang in this one, the formula is pretty clear: battle on the glass, take care of the ball and bring the kind of defensive edge that travels. Duke’s mix of returners and young talent makes this a serious challenge, even if it’s “only” an exhibition.
There’s some history baked into it, too. Duke leads the all-time series 9-7, and the Blue Devils’ last trip to Allen Fieldhouse came in 1988, when they won 74-70 in overtime. Kansas later knocked off Duke in the Final Four that season on the way to the national title.
This is the first half of the Blue Blood Classic, with Kansas set to visit Duke in October 2027 for the return exhibition. And while Sunday’s result won’t go on either team’s regular-season ledger, it should still tell Kansas plenty before its season opener against Fordham on Nov. 2.
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Bill Self did not have to wait long for another measuring stick after Kansas dropped an 89-83 decision to No. 11 Louisville at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks now turn right around for a preseason matchup with No. 2 Duke, a game that gives Kansas another high-end challenge and, just as importantly, a chance to get a clearer read on where this team stands before the games start counting for real.
Self has talked about the value of the home-and-home setup, especially because it comes without the pressure of a conference result hanging over it. Duke has looked sharp in exhibition play, while Kansas is trying to carry the lessons from Louisville into its official season opener against Fordham. For a veteran coach trying to sort out what works and what still needs fixing, this is the kind of early test he clearly wanted. [Read more 🡒]
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Baylor Let A Wild Finish Turn Into One Brutal Collapse
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Kansas erased an 11-point deficit in the final period and then slammed the door with a game-winning field goal block, turning a wild finish into a result that will stick with both sides for a while. Beyond the score, it also ended a 14-game losing streak against Baylor, which gives the Jayhawks a rare bit of history to carry forward even as the details of how they pulled it off deserve a closer look. [Read more 🡒]