Kentucky Wildcats vs. Duke Blue Devils
In a matchup that has been heated since the days of Christian Laettner and the 1992 Elite Eight, the Duke Blue Devils and Kentucky Wildcats will clash on Tuesday evening in the United Center as part of the State Farm Champions Classic. The No. 2-ranked Wildcats come into this game led by another stellar recruiting class led by their lengthy center in Skal Labissiere and the dynamic guard Jamal Murray. Duke comes into the matchup as the defending national champions and ranked No. 5 in the country with an impressive recruiting class of their own with star Brandon Ingram and the talented Luke Kennard, though the Blue Devils are led by sophomore Grayson Allen after he starred in the title game last season.
Details for Tuesday’s game are below:
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Chicago, IL
Arena: United Center
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Here
Ticket information: For Duke Blue Devils ticket info click here. For Kentucky Wildcats ticket info click here.
Next: Best Live Stream Sites On The Internet
Keys to Victory
Skal Labissiere is obviously going to play a major role in how the Wildcats fare in this game after two vastly different performances in his first two collegiate games. With his size and length, he’ll be able to cause problems on the defensive end, but the real key will be what he’s able to offer offensive against a physical seven-footer for Duke in Marshall Plumlee. Another key for Kentucky will be to get their backcourt going offensively as both Jamal Murray and Tyler Ullis have been inefficient shooting the basketball to start the season. The Wildcats will need their scoring against this Blue Devils team.
For Duke, an obvious key will again involve Labissiere and how the Blue Devils deal with him on both ends of the floor. On the defensive end for Duke, Plumlee and Amile Jefferson will need to be physical and make the slight-framed freshman uncomfortable down low. On offense, Grayson Allen and the Blue Devils will need to find ways to attack the rim without being eaten alive by Labissiere, who already has six blocks through two games. Allen, Brandon Ingram and Matt Jones in the starting five and Luke Kennard off the bench will be vital to Duke’s success as well as they’ll be called upon to knock down shots consistently from the perimeter to avoid the threat of Labissiere altogether.
Odds
Point Spread: Kentucky -2
Moneyline: Kentucky -110, Duke -110
O/U: 156.5
Prediction
There’s a lot of inexperience in this game for both teams, which makes for a highly unpredictable affair. However, the early poise and proficiency that Allen has shown for Duke has been incredibly persuading while Labissiere early inconsistency and the poor outside shooting of the Wildcats gives me pause. In a game that would look far different than it would if it were played in a couple of months, I think the Blue Devils prevail on Tuesday night.
Final Score: Kentucky Wildcats: 79, Duke Blue Devils: 86