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The second game of Tuesday’s Champions Classic could be an important one as the No.7 Kansas takes on the No. 20 Kentucky at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. It’ll be a battle between two of the bluest in college basketball, and unsurprisingly, it’s a clash between two teams that have started the season with realistic expectations for the NCAA title.
Funny enough, the two of them are hoping this game can serve as a tune-up after a bumpy start. Kentucky lost at home to Richmond in the weekend favorite while Kansas lost to No. 1 Gonzaga in their opener, so the two enter the season 1-1 on Tuesday.
Here’s what to know and how to watch the 2020 Classic Champions, which begins with 8th Michigan State at 6th Duke at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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Storylines
Kansas: Bill Self and the Jayhawks replace two All-Americans at Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson, and they do so with an experienced returning core led by Marcus Garrett, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack. It may not be as elite a defensive unit as it was last season, when it was second nationally in adjusted effectiveness at KenPom, but the elements are in place for KU to field a contender with the strength of the team. experience and high-end. Talent. They beat Saint Joseph’s on Friday to reach 1-1 on the season and kept Gonzaga’s game competitive, which is no small feat against a team considered the favorite in betting to win the domestic championship.
Kentucky: Kentucky went in reverse order of wins and losses as Kansas stumbled here. He opened his season with a resounding 81-45 victory over Morehead State before losing Sunday at home to Richmond by 12 points. The Spiders have an experienced squad and could have the best team in the A-10, so don’t panic for the UK just yet. Still, it’s an interesting place to see how the young Wildcats react. John Calipari is starting four freshmen and one senior, so we’ll quickly learn how this young group of stars handles adversity in a big game against a top 10 team.
Information display
- When: Tuesday, December 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET
- Or: Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
- TV: ESPN | Diffusion: fuboTV (try for free)
Kentucky vs. Kansas, pick
Last Chances:
Jayhawks -4.5
Kansas has an experienced and proven backcourt. Kentucky’s frontcourt – led by 7-foot senior Olivier Sarr – is long and talented. At the end of the day, this game is decided in the margins, and since it’s a draw, I’m going to take Kentucky and the points. This Wildcats team is young but incredibly long and talented from top to bottom, enough to give Kansas – for all their experience – enough adjustments to keep them in the sidelines. It might even be worth a pinch of moneyline. You know Great Britain are going to be drawn after suffering a home loss this weekend to a major opponent. To choose: Kentucky +3.5
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