No. 2 Kentucky and No. 4 Duke square off on Tuesday night in Indianapolis in what should be one of the most entertaining games of college basketball’s opening week.
John Calipari once again has a team loaded with 5-star freshman, but this time around, he’s got a grad transfer that could wind up being the SEC player of the year.
Meanwhile, the Blue Devils enter the new season with the nation’s top recruiting class, which includes a trio of the nation’s best recruits in RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion Wiliamson.
Let’s run through what to watch for ahead of this huge Champions Classic showdown.
Game Details
- No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 4 Duke
- Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN
- Game Date: Nov. 6
- Game Time: 9:30 p.m. EST
- Watch: ESPN
Players to Watch
Reid Travis (Kentucky)
The Stanford grad transfer could wind up being the most important piece of the puzzle for the Wildcats this season.
Travis averaged 19.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Cardinal last season and hit double figures in scoring in 34 of 35 games.
What he’ll bring to the table at Kentucky? A strong, veteran presence that can immediately impact the game on both sides of the court while being a proven playmaker in key situations.
Tyler Herro (Kentucky)
Teams in the past have at times been able to play a lot of zone against the long and athletic Wildcats, but that won’t be as easy to do this year with Herro in the mix.
The 6-5 freshman is a dynamic threat from beyond the arc, and he most recently went 5 of 7 from the 3-point line in Kentucky’s 86-64 exhibition win over IUP.
Exhibition showings don’t always equal success in regular season games, but Herro is a proven shooter who will add another element to a squad that’s already deep with highly-skilled offensive players.
RJ Barrett (Duke)
Barrett is already projected as the top player in the 2019 NBA draft, and the reason for that is pretty simple: he’s insanely talented.
A shooting guard with a 6-9 wingspan is always going to draw a lot of attention, but Barrett adds a whole lot more than that in terms of having a versatile offensive skill set.
He’s the type of player that can affect the game even without having the ball in his hands, and he should be able to open up plenty of opportunities for his teammates due to the attention that he’ll command each game.
Zion Williamson (Duke)
We go from the top-rated NBA prospect to the likely second-best prospect as Williamson combines supreme athleticism with incredible potential.
He can use his strength to get to the basket at will, and his nearly 6-11 wingspan should allow him to overpower defenders in one-on-one settings this season.
There’s no doubt that Williamson will produce a large number of highlight-reel moments during his freshman campaign with the Blue Devils.
Key Stats
Kentucky finished last in the SEC and 340th nationally last season in 3-pointers per game (5.3), but it’s worth noting that we into the year understanding that Calipari’s team would have an attack-first mindset.
However, now that Herro is in the mix, the Wildcats will offer even more ways to outscore opponents, and the expectation is that it’ll result in more 3-point attempts.
Something else worth watching is the highly-competitive battle on the glass. Both teams finished in the top 10 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage last season, with Duke ranking at the very top.
Yes, both teams have noticeable differences from a roster standpoint, but there should still be a lot of second-chance opportunities given the level of athleticism and talent on the floor.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Kentucky -1.5
- Over/Under: 157
- KenPom Projection: Duke, 53 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Kentucky, 52.5 percent chance to win
As you can see from the variety of projections, this game could go either way and should be extremely close from start to finish.
But for once, Kentucky won’t be the youngest team on the court.
The Wildcats have more experience than Mike Krzyzewski’s group, and the return of players like PJ Washington, Quade Green, and Nick Richards give Kentucky a solid nucleus that has already played valuable minutes at the college level.
Duke doesn’t have that same luxury, so it may take a little while to build the chemistry needed to win a national championship.
Krzyzewski’s team will get there, but the Wildcats may be a step ahead at this point.
Game Pick: Kentucky
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.