Preview: Duke Blue Devils (2-0) vs Kentucky Wildcats (2-0)

#6 Duke Blue Devils (2-0, 0-0 ACC) vs. #19 Kentucky Wildcats (2-0, 0-0 SEC)

Tuesday, Nov. 12 • 9 pm ET
State Farm Arena (19,050) • Atlanta, Ga.
TV: ESPN
Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network from LEARFIELD | ESPN Radio 

Two of the four winningest programs in NCAA history, Duke and Kentucky have met 23 times with UK leading 12-11. The recent history has favored the Blue Devils, with Duke winning nine of the last 11 meetings since 1979. In the Champions Classic, the Blue Devils have won three of the four matchups — UK won, 74-63, in 2015 in Chicago; while Duke won, 75-68, in Atlanta in 2012, 118-84 in Indianapolis in 2018, and 79-71 in New York in 2021.

TV/Video Stream
ESPN
Play-by-Play Dan Shulman
Analyst Jay Bilas
Sideline Jess Sims
Producer Eric Mosley
Director Mike Roig

Radio Blue
Devil Sports Net.
PxP/Analyst David Shumate/John Roth
In Durham 96.5 FM & 620 AM
ESPN Radio
PxP/Analyst Marc Kestecher/Bob Valvano
SiriusXM 80 / 161 or 193

Overall

Kentucky leads, 12-11
In Durham, NC Tied , 1-1
at Cameron Indoor Stadium Tied, 1-1
In Lexington, KY Kentucky leads, 4-1
at Rupp Arena Duke leads, 1-0
Neutral Sites Duke leads, 9-7
Last Meeting Duke 79, Kentucky 71 (Nov. 9, 2021 – New York, N.Y.)

2024 marks a new age in Kentucky basketball. The John Calipari era has ended and the Mark Pope era has begun. Kentucky will look and play a different brand of basketball predicated on speed and shooting. Wildcats’ head coach Mark Pope, a captain of Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team, coached against Duke while at Utah Valley, a 99-69 Blue Devil victory in Durham on Nov. 11.

Pope has done a terrific job in building a formidable roster for the Wildcats, a team built through the portal chock full of graduate transfers and seniors with a wealth of experience and size. The Wildcats have looked impressive in the early going scoring 203 points combined in their first 2 games and winning by an average of 34.5 points. They have wins against Wright State and most recently Bucknell. Otega Oweh led the Wildcats with 21 points against Wright State and Koby Brea scored 20 to lead the Cats vs Bucknell this past week.

In the Champions Classic, the Blue Devils have won three of the four matchups — UK won, 74-63, in 2015 in Chicago; while Duke won, 75-68, in Atlanta in 2012, 118-84 in Indianapolis in 2018, and 79-71 in New York in 2021. Duke has won five of its last seven in the Champions Classic and the Blue Devils’ 8-5 mark is tied with Kansas for the best record among the four teams that annually compete in the event.

During a 100-58 win over Army on Friday, six Blue Devils scored in double-figures for the second consecutive game, topped by Kon Knueppel’s 15 points, Tyrese Proctor’s 14 points and double-doubles from the freshman duo of Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach. Sion James finished with a +/- of +44 in just 18 minutes of play against Army.

Tuesday is the start of a six-game stretch for Duke against four teams that are ranked in the Associated Press top-25 poll (No. 19 Kentucky, No. 9 Arizona, No. 1 Kansas and No. 5 Auburn).

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 Lamont Butler 6’2, 208lbs – Grad Student
G Omega Oweh 6’4, 215lbs – Junior
G Jaxon Robinson 6’6, 192lbs – Grad Student
F Andrew Carr 6’11, 235lbs – Grad Student
F Amari Williams 7’0, 262lbs – Grad Student

Kentucky has looked impressive in this early season, both offensively and defensively. Kentucky does have a lot of size but size is something Duke can counter. What Duke cannot counter is experience. Experience is going to be a decided advantage for Mark Pope’s team, with a starting lineup that boasts ages of 21,22,21,22 and 22. While the Blue Devils roll out a starting 5 of 17, 18, 19, 20, 20. Even the bench for Kentucky is old (22,22,23,20,21). Duke is going to have to play mistake free basketball but most importantly a physical brand of basketball.

I think offensively if Duke is disciplined and take full advantage of their opportunities at the rim they can mitigate a slow start or a bad shooting night – but if Duke is hitting from the outside I think it’s going to be hard for the Wildcats to keep up provided Duke is defending as well we know they can be. It means, for Duke, taking advantage of driving to the paint for dump-offs as opposed to tough 2’s from our guards. Drive with the option to pass.

Rebounds will also be at a premium in this game. Duke game up a plethora of offensive rebounds – giving up 7 to Maine resulting in 11 second chance points and 10 to the Black Knights of Army resulting in 7 second chance points. As competition waxes those numbers if not addressed could be a potential problem for the Blue Devils. . A stat from the Wildcats first game was an overwhelming advantage in paint points, while Kentucky primarily wants to shoot the 3’s they’ve enjoyed a 106 to 54 advantage in paint points in their first 2 games – definitely something to watch for against the Blue Devils.

Defensively the Blue Devils had several communication issues on the perimeter leading to open looks for Maine and Army. They have to be a much more talkative team and know assignments much better against Kentucky. Duke simply cannot come off of grad transfer Koby Brea. If they do they will lose. The kid does not miss. Duke has to close under control and beware of his shot fake but most importantly he cannot be given open looks. Brea, a 6-7 transfer from Dayton, was named 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year for the second time in his career and led the nation in 3-point percentage (.498, 100-201), the highest mark in the NCAA in six seasons. Brea is currently shooting 10-of- 12 (.833) from long distance. While nearly everyone on the floor for Kentucky wants to shoot 3’s, he’s the most deadly of them.