Kansas vs Kentucky: 3 key storylines for 2023 Champions Classic matchup

Throughout the offseason, few teams were in the news as much as both Kansas and Kentucky. There were many roster moves made, both via the transfer portal and high school recruiting path. That created two teams ranked in the top 20 of the preseason AP poll, with the Jayhawks getting the No. 1 spot.

Unlike a couple of other preseason top-4 teams, Kansas had no problems with its opening week of opponents. They dropped 99 points in both blowout victories, beating NC Central and Manhattan. Five players averaged double figures in the games, led by Hunter Dickinson with 19.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg.

Kentucky also had a pair of easy wins to open its season, beating Texas A&M-Commerce and New Mexico State by 60 points combined. The Wildcats also have five players in double figures at the moment, led by Antonio Reeves at 16.0 ppg. But finally, both teams will have its first true test of the season, taking on each other.

What makes this matchup so intriguing is that both teams have plenty of positives but also some concerns that haven’t been test. Kentucky is one of the youngest teams in all of NCAA Basketball, while the Jayhawks don’t have a ton of depth among its scholarship players.

So who will come out with the win in the Champions Classic on Tuesday? Many things can occur but there are a few keys/storylines that I’m keeping a close eye on. Here’s my trio of key points.