Preview: Duke Blue Devils (4-1) vs Kansas Jayhawks (5-0)

#12 Duke vs. #1 Kansas

9 p.m. ET • T-Mobile Arena • Las Vegas, NV

TV: ESPN
Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network from LEARFIELD

The Duke Blue Devils look to secure a second top-25 win in a row, taking on the Kansas Jayhawks in Las Vegas in the Vegas Showdown. Tuesday night marks the eighth straight meeting between Duke and Kansas, with both teams ranked inside the top-25. The last four games have been decided by a total of 13 points, and there has only been one double-digit margin of victory in the last nine clashes. The two teams have traded wins in the last two meetings, with Kansas most recently claiming a 69-64 victory in the 2022 Champions Classic. Overall, Duke leads the series, 8-6, but the Jayhawks have picked up five of those wins in the last seven contests.

About the Event
The Terry’s Chocolate Vegas Showdown is an early-season Division 1 college basketball event in Las Vegas, Nevada. In its second year, the 2024 event comprise of a doubleheader featuring Duke vs. Kansas and Furman vs. Seattle. The 2024 Vegas Showdown will be at T-Mobile Arena.

TV/Video Stream
ESPN

Radio
Blue Devil Sports Net.

Overall

Duke leads, 8-6
In Durham, NC Duke leads, 1-0
at Cameron Indoor Stadium Duke leads, 1-0
In Lawrence, KS Duke leads, 1-0
at Allen Fieldhouse Duke leads, 1-0
Neutral Sites Tied, 6-6
Last Meeting Kansas 69, Duke 64 (Nov. 15, 2022)

Kansas is coming off a season that saw them win 32 games but lose in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a 4-seed to 5-seed Gonzaga. The Jayhawks return 3 starters from that team in Hunter Dickinson, Dajuan Harris Jr., and KJ Adams. The Jayhawks roll into Tuesday with an undefeated record at 5-0 with signature wins at home against UNC and a neutral-site victory in the Champions Classic against Michigan State.

The Jayhawks boast a balanced scoring attack, with five other players averaging at least eight points per game. 5th year senior Hunter Dickinson leads the Jayhawks in both scoring at 17.8 points and rebounding at 10.4 per game. Dickinson is in his second year with Kansas after spending 3 in Ann Arbor with the Wolverines. South Dakota State Senior transfer Zeke Mayo is the only other double-figure scorer for Kansas at 12.6 per game so far this season. Mayo is shooting the ball at 62.5% from 2-point range this season. Mayo is also averaging 3.2 assists. 5th year guard Dajuan Harris Jr. leads the Jayhawks in assists per game at 5.2.

Reserve forward Flory Budinga leads the team in FG% at 82.6%. Kansas boasts 3 players shooting 40% or better from 3 in AJ Storr, Rylan Griffen and David Coit.

Coach Jon Scheyer’s retooled Blue Devils are looking to improve on last year’s trip to the Elite 8 and back-to-back 27–9 seasons. Duke’s revamped lineup includes 10 new players, including 6 freshmen and 4 transfers.

Duke started the season with two impressive wins against Maine and Army before losing to Kentucky – a game that saw the Blue Devils squander a 9-point lead to the Wildcats. The Blue Devils lost key reserve Sion James in the second half and starter Khaman Maluach with cramps for long stretches of the second half. The Blue Devils rebounded from the Kentucky loss by pounding the Terriers of Wofford by 51 points, then a huge road win against top-25 Arizona on the road.

The Blue Devils are led in several categories by freshman Cooper Flagg. Flagg tops the Blue Devils in scoring (17.8), rebounds (8.8), and assists (3.8). The Blue Devils boast 2 other double-figure scorers in freshman Kon Knueppel at 14.4 points per game and Tyrese Proctor at 11.8 points per game. The Blue Devils are top 15 in points allowed this season, allowing just 57.4 points per game. Duke is 17th in the nation in rebounding so far this season.

PG Caleb Foster 6’5, 202lbs – Sophomore
SG Tyrese Proctor 6’6, 183lbs – Junior
SF Kon Knueppel 6’7, 217lbs – Freshman
PF Cooper Flagg 6’9, 205lbs – Freshman
C Khaman Maluach 7’2, 250lbs – Freshman

G Dajuan Harris Jr. 6’2, 175lbs – Grad Student
G Zeke Mayo 6’4, 185lbs – Senior
G Rylan Griffen 6’6, 190lbs – Junior
F KJ Adams 6’7, 235lbs – Senior
C Hunter Dickinson 7’2, 265lbs – Grad Student

I’ve watched enough Kansas and Duke to know that the team that is able to execute their defensive strategy the best is likely the team that wins. We know that Kansas makes 51.6% of its shots from the field, which is 16.8 percentage points higher than Duke has allowed to its opponents (34.8%). We know Duke scores 17.0 more points per game (84.6) than Kansas allows to opponents (67.6). Duke, despite the occasional slip-up, has hung their proverbial hat on being a stout defensive team. I don’t foresee that changing any time soon.

Offensively, for Kansas, there are 3 players in particular that I think the Devils have to choke off. One is obviously their 5th year senior center, Hunter Dickinson. He’s their leading scorer and rebounder. Limiting Dickinson is an important job – not letting the big man get into a comfortable paint rhythm is crucial, but also putting him in jeopardy on the defensive end can aid in that process – make him work. Duke’s offensive movement could put the Kansas big man into positions where he has to foul, and that would be an ideal outcome for Duke. Sidelining Dickinson with foul trouble doesn’t necessarily mean that Kansas won’t be effective, but it does limit them and make them more guard-oriented, which could be a big benefit for a bigger Duke team.

I believe the second most important player for the Jayhawks is Zeke Mayo. Mayo, the South Dakota State transfer, is an excellent shooter, and while he hasn’t shot the ball well from beyond the arc yet this season (31%) he is capable of getting hot; besides, that isn’t his only weapon. Mayo is shooting the ball at a 62.5% clip from 2-point range, and if he gets going there, it could definitely lead to bigger shots and rhythm 3’s. Forcing both Mayo and Dajuan Harris into shooting tough 2’s is something I think Duke is willing to live with. Harris is the engine for Kansas; his assist numbers are key for the Jayhawks, and Duke’s ball pressure and length could go a long way toward taking some of that away.

The interior matchup is going to be a very interesting one for the Blue Devils, and I’m not 100% sure how they will handle it. I know that Dickinson is going to be the early target for the Jayhawks; putting early fouls on Maluach is something Bill Self will certainly look to in order to test out Duke’s depth on the interior. How Duke will counter if that happens could be a huge story line.

X-Factors:

• Maliq Brown for Duke, Brown is a very versatile defender and passer, not sure if there’s a player like him that I’ve seen.
• Flory Bidunga for Kansas, Bidunga is on the game for 2 reasons – Dunk and defend. How does Duke counter his athleticism?

Advantages & Disadvantages:

• I would expect Kansas to counter Cooper Flagg by guarding him with KJ Adams, probably the strongest defender he’s faced so far this season. NOT SURE
• Kansas’ biggest advantage will be their experience. KANSAS
• Talent edge may go to. DUKE
• Duke is #1 in adjusted defensive efficiency. DUKE
• Opponents are shooting just 25.8% from beyond the arc vs. Duke this season. DUKE

My keys to this game for Duke to get a victory:

• Limit second-chance points and offensive rebounds.
• Be wary of the lob threats.
• Close out under control.
• Put Dickinson in ball screens.
• Be strong with the ball, especially in the middle of the floor on drives.