Can KU basketball upset Duke — even if Darryn Peterson doesn’t play?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas faces No. 5 Duke; Peterson's status will shape Kansas' competitiveness.
- Duke shows elite two-way defense and Cameron Boozer controls paint and rebounds.
- Kansas needs Bidunga, Tiller and Rosario to supply scoring and contain Boozer.
The No. 24-ranked Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team travels to New York to play fellow blue blood No. 5 Duke in the Champions Classic.
The Jayhawks (3-1) defeated Princeton on Saturday, while the Blue Devils beat Indiana State on Friday. Duke leads the all-time series 8-7, but Kansas has won the last two meetings.
It’s still unclear if KU freshman Darryn Peterson will miss his third straight game.
Here is a scouting report and prediction for Tuesday’s showdown:
No. 24 Kansas vs. No. 5 Duke
When/where: 8 p.m. Central, Tuesday, Madison Square Garden (New York)
TV/streaming: ESPN
Opponent’s record: 4-0
KenPom (Ken Pomeroy) ranking: 1
Betting line: Duke is a 7.5-point favorite.
All statistics are from KenPom.com and EvanMiya. KenPom stats only include Division I competition.
Duke Strengths
- Elite on both ends: The Blue Devils rank No. 6 in adjusted offensive efficiency (123.2) and No. 9 in adjusted defensive efficiency (93.5), which measure a team’s production over 100 possessions, adjusted for opponent.
- Shot makers inside the arc: The Blue Devils rank No. 25 in 2-point shooting percentage (62.1%).
- Nothing easy: Duke ranks No. 2 in opposing team effective field goal percentage (38.1%)
Duke Weaknesses
- First real test: Unlike the Jayhawks, which faced a ranked UNC squad, Duke hasn’t faced a ranked team yet. The Blue Devils’ strength of schedule ranks No. 252 overall.
- Giving up 3-pointers: Duke ranks No. 326 in opposing team 3-point rate (46.9).
- Young team: The Blue Devils rank No. 323 in Division 1 experience (0.83 years)
Duke Name to Know
6-foot-9 freshman forward Cameron Boozer (No. 12)
+ Quality scorer (22.5 PPG)
+ Good 3-point shooter (shooting 36.8% on 3-pointers)
+ Elite rebounder (10. 3 RPG)
+ Solid passer (4.3 APG)
+ Efficient scorer (shooting 54.9% from the field)
+ Elite NBA Draft prospect
- OK at the line (shooting 79.4% on free throws)
Game Prediction
The Jayhawks better hope Darryn Peterson can play in this matchup. It’s hard to see Kansas being competitive without him, much less winning.
That said, KU coach Bill Self didn’t sound super optimistic that he could play Tuesday.
Despite being such a young team, Duke’s defense is suffocating. The Jayhawks can’t get off to another slow start like they did vs. Princeton. Otherwise, this could be over quickly.
With Peterson a major question mark, the Jayhawks will need several players to step up on offense. The main players are returning big man Flory Bidunga, sixth man Bryson Tiller and guard Kohl Rosario.
Bidunga needs to play like he did against Princeton. What does that mean? Well, playing aggressive on offense from the start and taking it to Boozer. If Bidunga can get Boozer in foul trouble, that could make for a pivotal swing in momentum.
As for Tiller and Rosario? The pair need to provide more scoring to offset the loss of Peterson. Tiller also needs to keep Boozer and Duke’s bigs off the boards so the Jayhawks don’t give up second-chance opportunities.
Finally, KU needs to find a way to slow down Boozer. KU managed to do it vs. Cooper Flagg for half the game last season, but there’s no KJ Adams this time around.
So now it falls on Bidunga. When you look at it, a lot needs to go right for the Jayhawks to steal this game. If Peterson can play, it should be competitive.
Without him, I don’t think it will be.
Duke 70, Kansas 58
Shreyas’ pick to cover the spread: Duke (-7.5)
Shreyas’ season record: 3-1
Shreyas’ record against the spread: 3-1
KU Player to Watch: Flory Bidunga
Bidunga had the best game of his Jayhawks career vs. Princeton. He scored a career-high 25 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had three blocks.
Forget the overall stat line, he looked straight up dominant. He made it a point of emphasis to go after Princeton’s bigs, and now he will need to do the same vs. Duke.
This game is a nice opportunity for redemption after Bidunga struggled vs. UNC, and it’s also an opportunity to showcase that he can perform against one of the best teams in the nation.
Plus, he will likely have to guard Boozer at times. How he handles Boozer and how he plays on offense will determine if the Jayhawks have a chance.
