Duke vs. Kentucky: Who wins position battles in 2018 Champions Classic?

Center: Marques Bolden vs. Reid Travis

The battle in the paint should be fierce between Duke big man Marques Bolden and Kentucky graduate transfer Reid Travis. Bolden is developing into a prime rim-protector entering his junior campaign. He produced 3.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as a reserve for the Blue Devils in 2017-18.

Bolden will be the defensive anchor for a Duke team that has struggled defensively in the past. With four new starters, Bolden will need to do his best to stay on the floor as the only upperclassmen and lead the way on defense in the paint.

Travis is a walking double-double and has been so far as a key addition to the Wildcats rotation. He’s brought a veteran presence on the inside that Kentucky has missed in the past few seasons. He spent the past four seasons with the Stanford Cardinal but his final season should take the cake, starting against Duke.

Bolden holds the defensive edge but Travis has the tools to get him in early foul trouble if things go right. It will be interesting to see if Kentucky establishes Travis presence in the post first or if they test Duke’s defense on the perimeter. With Travis, the Wildcats certainly hold the edge in the paint.

Edge: Travis