Kansas vs. Duke: 2022-23 Champions Classic game preview, TV schedule

Kansas and Duke face off in the Champions Classic in the first AP Top 10 matchup of the 2022-23 college basketball season. Which team has the advantage in the early-season matchup?

TV schedule: Tuesday, November 15 – 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Arena: Gainbridge Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN

The Champions Classic was pushed back from the opening week of the season this year, but it’s still the best early-season event in college basketball. Kentucky and Michigan State will play in the early game, but the late game between No. 5 Kansas and No. 7 Duke is the true headliner.

The defending national champion Jayhawks lost four starters in Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, David McCormack, and Remy Martin, but are still poised to make another run at a Big 12 title. Bill Self brought in the No. 4 recruiting class in the country, per the 247Sports Composite, headlined by five-star Gradey Dick. The 6-foot-8 wing dropped 23 points with four threes in Kansas’ opening win over Nebraska Omaha.

Kansas will rely heavily on underclassmen this season, but Jalen Wilson gives the Jayhawks a veteran presence in its starting lineup. Wilson is averaging 20 points per game in Kansas’ 2-0 start to the season. He’s also averaging 10 rebounds per game, which might be more important against a long, athletic Duke team.

Duke also has a young team (if I had a nickel…), but Jon Scheyer brought in the No. 1 class in the nation, so the talent is there. That No. 1 class is headlined by the No. 1 player in the class in Dereck Lively II, who made his debut in the Blue Devil’s last game against USC Upstate after missing the opener with a lingering calf injury. He only had four points in 15 minutes, but his usage will likely increase on Tuesday night. Lively is 7-foot-1 with long arms and crazy athleticism. It could take several games for his offensive numbers to increase coming off the injury, but his defensive presence alone is invaluable.

Jeremy Roach is the returning veteran presence on Duke and is expected to take an individual leap in an expanded role this season. He showed flashes in the NCAA Tournament and has played well so far this season, averaging 13 points per game on 46.2% shooting from deep. To be honest, Duke hasn’t needed him to put up huge numbers yet in two blowout wins to start the season.

Mark Mitchell has been Duke’s most proficient freshman so far, averaging 15.5 points with infectious energy, and excellent defense. He was the No. 22 recruit in this year’s class, per the 247Sports Composite, but has looked like a top 5-10 newcomer so far.

A storyline to watch leading up to the game is the injury status of Dariq Whitehead, the No. 2 player in this year’s class. Whitehead’s injury status for the Champions Classic is still up in the air as he recovers from a fractured right foot.

Kansas will likely have the advantage on the wing with Dick and Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar, but Duke’s length and athleticism in the frontcourt with Mitchell, Lively, and Kyle Filipowski is tough to bet against. Roach also has more explosive offensive potential than Dajuan Harris at point guard. Duke projects as a physical, defensive-minded team this season which tends to be an advantage early in the season as players search for their offensive rhythms.

Duke has the best record of any team in the Champions Classic at 7-4 but is just 1-2 against Kansas in the event. I’ll take the Blue Devils to even the score on Tuesday night for the first Top 10 win of Jon Scheyer’s head coaching career.