Kentucky basketball vs Duke basketball- this is as blue chip as it gets. On one hand, you have a head coach famous for using one-and-done players to win a national title. On the other hand you have John Calipari.
We kid! We kid, but seriously we sympathize with Coach Cal on this one, not with Coach K. Let’s get ready for the Champions Classic.
Broadcast/Basic info:
The neutral-site, early-season men’s doubleheader that matches four of the winningest programs against each other will begin with CollegeGameDay from inside the arena at 7 p.m eastern, thus ending ESPN’s season opening 24 hours of college hoops marathon.
Gameday is hosted by Rece Davis, along with analysts Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams. The games commence at 7:30 p.m. with No. 2 Kentucky basketball vs. No. 5 Duke, followed by No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Michigan State.
Location: United Center, Chicago
SPREAD: UK – 2 1/2
New Crop of Freshmen, McDonald’s All-Americans
Fitting that this game is at the United Center, as so many players in this contest were just on this very same floor in April for the McDonald’s All-American Game. Duke had Chase Jeter and Luke Kennard, but the frosh you really want to pay attention to here is Derryck Thornton.
Duke had two point guards on the floor nearly all the time last year in Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones. It will be interesting to see how Thornton can fill those shoes.
There’s STILL another Plumlee STILL on a Duke roster this year. Yes, their reign of terror will never end.
Kentucky basketball rookie sensations to keep an eye on include Isaiah Briscoe, Skal Labissiere and Charles Matthews. The third name there plays a “homecoming” contest tonight just like his teammate Tyler Ulis.
On a side note, Duke signed the top overall class in the entire national on signing day this past Wednesday, so see you here again with the same exact story line at this time next year.
The Media’s All-Time Favorite Coach vs. Everyone’s Favorite Villain
Getting back to the intro paragraph, when Kentucky basketball builds its program around five-star recruits who are “one-and-done” to the NBA, the mainstream media portrays it as “ruining the purity and integrity of the game.” Calipari is “selfishly exploiting a system.”
Meanwhile Mike Krzyzewski did EXACTLY THAT last season to win a national title, yet all we hear from the MSM is how Duke “does things the right way.” It just shows you how teflon Coach K really is.
It also verifies how unfair the media are in “polarizing” Coach Cal.
Kentucky is doing more to help increase interest in Pre-March College Hoops than Anybody Else BY FAR
Kentucky basketball are doing their part and more to try and fight apathy for pre-conference college hoops. UK are playing in yet another early season double-header showcase. UK, Ohio State, South Florida and Memphis. UK will take on USF on Thanksgiving weekend at the home of the Miami Heat.
Big Blue takes on all comers, and they play on the biggest stages. In addition to this event, Kentucky basketball They’re also a part of the CBS Sports Classic with UCLA, North Carolina and Ohio State. We’ve explored this idea in more detail here.
Someday this event will be the “New” “Big Ten/ACC Challenge” in “Brand”
I used the term “Champions Classic” in conversation with a friend of mine who is a Sports News Director at a television station in a Big Ten town. He had no clue what I was talking about. Most people mistakenly call this the “Crossroads Classic,” or sometimes they use a nickname that doesn’t even exist. Hey, it takes time to get these names to catch on.
The Big Ten/ACC Challenge was the very first of these made for TV college hoops events. Now after 17 years it’s just an established part of the annual lexicon.
Grayson Allen will Eventually Grow More Detestable Than Christian Laettner
“I hate Christian Laettner” is the greatest 30 for 30 of all time. Perhaps in 2040 someone will make a documentary entitled “I hate Grayson Allen.” If so, then Allen will have truly achieved the pinnacle of success, as that would be a huge compliment.
Prediction: Kentucky basketball 81, Duke 74
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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