No. 17 Kansas is about to get its first real measuring stick of the season.
The Jayhawks take on No. 23 Kentucky in the Champions Classic on Tuesday, Nov. 10, a matchup that brings together two of the winningest programs in college basketball history.
Kansas has handled its first two regular-season games with ease, rolling past Fordham and Middle Tennessee by an average margin of 92-55. Bill Self has used both of those games to play all of his available players while he sorts out his rotation ahead of the Kentucky test.
A loss to Kentucky this early would not carry much long-term damage for Kansas, but games like this still matter. When bluebloods meet, the bragging rights do too.
The Jayhawks and Wildcats will play the late game of the Champions Classic at the United Center in Chicago, with tipoff set for approximately 8:30 p.m. CT. That time could slide later if the game before it runs long.
The Champions Classic, including Kansas and Kentucky, will air on ESPN. It can also be streamed on FuboTV or on Disney+ with the ESPN package, and both services require a subscription.
BetMGM does not post college basketball lines until game day, so betting numbers for this matchup will not be available until Tuesday.
Kansas and Kentucky have met 36 times, with the Wildcats holding the series lead at 24 wins. Still, the Jayhawks have taken six of the last eight meetings between the two programs.
This will be Kansas’ 16th appearance in the Champions Classic. The Jayhawks are 9-6 in the event and 3-2 against Kentucky, Duke, and Michigan State, tying Duke for the best overall record in the annual showcase.
There are a few early-season details Kansas will want to clean up before facing Kentucky. The Jayhawks have gotten to the line 52 times through two games, but they’ve made only 28 of those free throws, a 53.8% clip. That kind of number won’t hold up in tight games against top competition.
On the plus side, nearly the whole roster has already chipped in. Fourteen of Kansas’ 15 players have scored at least once, with Atticus Richmond the only one still scoreless. Richmond has also logged the fewest minutes, with just five.
Freshman Luke Barnett gave the crowd something to remember late against Middle Tennessee, drilling three straight three-pointers before missing a fourth attempt. Kansas could certainly use a reliable shooter from deep, and Barnett may have put himself in that conversation.
The Jayhawks have also controlled the glass so far, outrebounding their first two opponents 91-68. Dennis Parker Jr. turned in the most surprising rebounding total in the win over the Blue Raiders with seven, but Kansas will need that kind of effort from everyone when the competition level jumps against Kentucky.
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Leipolds overall mark at Kansas now sits at 30-40, and the financial reality around any coaching change only adds another layer of hesitation. His buyout would be $17.9 million if he is fired after December 1, 2026, and with a major stadium construction project already stretching the programs resources, the Jayhawks are staring at a reset that would be expensive to make and even harder to justify. [Read more 🡒]