Kansas left Chicago with a statement win on Tuesday night, rolling past Kentucky 89-69 at the Champions Classic behind big nights from Tyran Stokes and Tre White.
Those two carried the scoring load for the Jayhawks, combining for 53 points, while Kansas also turned the game into a defensive grind for the Wildcats. The Jayhawks forced 15 turnovers and converted them into 22 points on the other end, a swing that helped separate the game in a hurry.
Stokes was at the center of it all. After taking just seven shots in Kansas’ first two regular-season games last week, then five in the next one, he came out far more aggressive against Kentucky and fired 19 times. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting, plus 10 rebounds and four assists.
“I actually thought he handled the moment better than I anticipated,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said. “He’s very emotional, which is a big, big plus.
Nobody should take that as a negative, but I didn’t want him to be too geeked up to where he couldn’t play. What helped him a lot tonight was seeing that first 3 go down.”
The matchup carried extra weight for Stokes, who is from Kentucky and went through a long recruiting battle before choosing Kansas over the Wildcats last spring.
“I’m from Louisville, you know, I had a long recruitment process with Kentucky, so obviously when I chose Kansas I knew [this] game was going to be here,” Stokes said. “It was personal for sure.”
Kansas also got the kind of response it needed with Melvin Council Jr. out because of a broken foot. Taylen Kinney didn’t score much, finishing with 4 points on 1-of-9 shooting, but he ran the offense well enough to matter, piling up eight assists and two steals while posting a +24 in 33 minutes.
“I feel like that’s the blessing and the special thing about our team is our depth,” White said about others stepping up in Council’s absence. “Next man up.”
Leroy Blyden Jr. drew the start in Council’s place and had a quiet night offensively too, finishing with 8 points on 2-of-9 shooting and one assist. Even so, he gave Kansas a defensive lift while matching up with players much bigger than him throughout the night, and he didn’t commit a turnover in 33 minutes.
“I thought the young kids did great running the team even though they didn’t make shots,” Self said. “I think they played for each other.”
The turnover battle told the story as clearly as anything. Kansas scored 22 points off Kentucky mistakes, while the Wildcats didn’t score any points off Kansas turnovers. The Jayhawks had 15 giveaways forced and only committed 10 themselves.
Kansas also bottled up Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who had hurt the Jayhawks in their loss to the Cyclones in Ames last season. He didn’t even get his first 3-point attempt until there were fewer than eight minutes left and finished with just 5 points on 1-for-3 shooting from deep.
“It’s not easy,” White said about defending Momcilovic. “We did a good job tonight making him shoot tough twos and threes. He’s a great shooter though.”
The Jayhawks return to action Tuesday, Nov. 17, against UNLV in Las Vegas. Tipoff for Kansas’ opening game of the Players Era 8 is set for 8:30 p.m. CST on ESPN.
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Kansas Freshmen Just Gave Fans A Dangerous Glimpse Against Kentucky
A nationally televised win over Kentucky gave Kansas fans an early look at what this freshman class can do when it starts clicking. Tyran Stokes set the tone with 23 points and four three-pointers, while Taylen Kinney kept the offense moving with eight assists in an 89-69 rout that felt as much about promise as it did about the final margin.
For Jayhawks supporters, the most interesting part may be where this goes next. Both Stokes and Kinney were heavily recruited by Kentucky, and they made a point of showing their value in a game that carried plenty of attention beyond the box score. If this is the kind of impact Kansas can get from its freshmen this early, the rest of the season could get very interesting in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Just Sent An Early Warning To The Rest Of College Basketball
The Champions Classic offered an early snapshot of where the college basketball powers stand, and Kansas left Madison Square Garden with the kind of win that tends to travel. While Michigan States upset of Duke grabbed plenty of attention, the Jayhawks handled Kentucky and reinforced why they are already being viewed as a team with the look of a serious national contender. It was the sort of opening-night result that can shape the conversation around a program before conference play even begins.
For Kansas, the win also came against a Kentucky team that still has obvious questions to sort through, especially at point guard and at power forward. Duke, meanwhile, was left to regroup after an uneven offensive showing despite its talent, while Emoni Bates continued to draw eyes as one of the early NBA draft names to watch with his improved outside shooting and assertive style. For the Jayhawks, the bigger takeaway is simple: they did not just survive a marquee stage, they used it to send a message. [Read more 🡒]
Tyran Stokes Just Gave Kansas Fans A Reason To Dream
Tyran Stokes gave Kansas plenty to feel good about in the Champions Classic, turning in a 23-point, 10-rebound effort in an 89-69 win over Kentucky. The freshman forward looked comfortable in a big setting, and Bill Self pointed to the way Stokes handled his emotions while still staying effective from start to finish.
For Stokes, the matchup carried extra weight. He grew up in Louisville and was recruited by Kentucky, so the stage had a little more meaning than most November games, and he said as much afterward while crediting his coaches for the confidence he showed in his shooting. For Kansas, the encouraging part is not just the performance itself, but the possibility that a young player already looks ready for nights when the spotlight is brightest. [Read more 🡒]