Live Game Thread & Updates for Kansas Basketball vs Duke

Once Michigan State and Kentucky wrap up their matchup tonight, the next two teams to take the floor will be two of the biggest powerhouses in college basketball.

Kansas and Duke are set to face off for the fifth time in Champions Classic history in what should be an exciting early-season showdown.

On this page, we will be updating the score periodically and providing constant updates on what is happening throughout the game. So if you can’t watch live or simply want to check in, make sure to refresh this page every few minutes.

First Half

Pregame - Around 1 p.m. CT this afternoon, Darryn Peterson was officially ruled out for the third consecutive game. He is inactive due to a lingering hamstring issue that has limited him early in his college career.

20:00 - Starting five remains the same for Kansas: Melvin Council Jr., Kohl Rosario, Tre White, Bryson Tiller, and Flory Bidunga. Elmarko Jackson remains on the second unit tonight.

18:04 - A couple of quick twos by Bidunga, including a thunderous dunk, get Kansas in the scoring column. Rosario recorded a steal which led to a Tiller dunk. Kansas leads, 6-5.

14:34- The first TV timeout came a bit later than Jon Scheyer would have hoped. Council just knocked down a tough and-1 basket and will head to the free throw line for one shot after the break. Duke is running a 2-3 zone, which forced two bad jump shot attempts by the Jayhawks. Bidunga has now hit all three of his shot attempts, and White has hit both of his as well. While KU has let the Blue Devils hit a pair of wide open threes, Cameron Boozer attempted a bad transition three that led to Council's and-1. Could not have asked for a better start for Kansas. Kansas leads, 14-10.

13:22- Council completed the and-1 from the charity stripe. Duke is putting more defensive pressure on KU now, as it forced a turnover by Bidunga and scored a layup on the other end. Kansas leads, 15-12.

12:18 - Jayden Dawson is the first player off the Kansas bench and hits a much-needed 3-pointer from the corner. Very encouraging sign for the Loyola Chicago transfer. Boozer knocked down one of his two free throw attempts on the other end. Kansas leads, 18-13.

11:14 - White knocked down an open free-throw line jumper but fouled Isaiah Evans on the other end for an and-1 basket. He will shoot a free throw with an opportunity to cut the deficit to two after the TV timeout. Kansas leads, 20-17.

9:02 - Rosario's first points of the night came on a dunk on an excellent baseline cut assisted by Council. He followed that score up with an intercepted pass for a steal. Both teams missed a few ensuing shots, and KU now has possession after coming up with a loose ball. Kansas leads, 22-18.

8:23 - Dawson has played an outstanding game so far. He pickpocketed Dame Sarr on the defensive end, sprinted down the court on a fastbreak, and heaved it up to Bidunga for a successful alley-oop dunk. Big momentum shift for the Jayhawks. Kansas leads, 24-18.

6:40 - Dawson forced yet another turnover against Sarr on a drive to the basket. White knocked down two free throws, but Bidunga now has two fouls and may need to sit for the rest of the half. Kansas leads, 26-22.

4:42 - Council's offensive struggles are starting to become apparent. He is shooting 1-for-7 from the field and Duke is sagging off him at the 3-point line. He gets subbed out after a terrible turnover on a fastbreak opportunity, which led to two free throws by Boozer. Kansas and Duke are tied 28-28.

3:48 - Paul Mbiya is in for his first minutes of the game and came up with a big offensive rebound that led to an and-1 by White. White now has a game-high 12 points and is the only player in double figures. He will shoot a free throw after the final TV timeout of the half. Kansas and Duke are tied, 30-30.

2:41 - Coach Self is being forced to throw out some funky lineup combinations, and he is paying the price. The Jayhawks allowed back-to-back baskets after a Jamari McDowell travel and a Rosario airball. Duke is on a 15-4 run since Bidunga exited the contest. Duke leads, 35-30.

Halftime - An atrocious end to the half gives the Blue Devils an eight-point lead heading into the break. Kansas' offensive limitations have been put on full display, as players not named White or Bidunga have scored 10 points on 4-for-20 shooting. Duke leads, 41-33.

Second Half

17:41 - Dawson starts the half on the court over Rosario, who has struggled. Bidunga threw down an impressive dunk but already picked up his third foul. Duke leads, 46-39.

16:09 - A wild heave by Bidunga and poor defensive rotations give Duke a double-digit lead. The Jayhawks look disoriented out there. Duke leads, 51-41.

12:50 - The game is going back-and-forth now. The Jayhawks' offense doesn't look great, but it is doing enough to stay in it. Council just knocked down a crafty and-1 to cut the deficit to five. Duke leads, 54-49.

9:45 - Kansas has had plenty of opportunities to cut it to a one-possession game, but the Jayhawks continue to squander their chances. They are shooting just 3-for-15 from 3-point range, including a pair of crucial misses by Rosario and Tiller that would have cut it to four. Council has finally come alive and is keeping the team in it with his dribble dives. Duke leads, 60-53.

8:27 - A missed rebound by Tiller (on what should have been a moving screen) leads to a Boozer and-1 off a missed three. Bidunga gets the ball on the other end and misses both of his free throws. Duke leads, 62-55.

7:28 - We're at the second-to-last TV timeout, and Bidunga just picked up his fourth foul. The Blue Devils will shoot a pair after the break. Duke leads, 62-57.

6:08 - The Jayhawks forced multiple misses and could have cut it to two points, but Tiller picked up an offensive foul. Only a few minutes to go in New York City now. Duke leads, 63-59.

5:21 - A Bidunga goaltend gives Duke a six-point lead. A little over five minutes remain now. Kansas will retain possession after the TV timeout. Duke leads, 67-61.

3:51 - So close, yet so far for Kansas. Bidunga nearly cut the lead to three points but missed a layup at the rim. The Blue Devils have possession after the final TV timeout ends. Duke leads, 69-64.

How to Watch Kansas vs. Duke in Champions Classic

Time: 8 p.m. CT (or later, depending on when Kentucky vs. Michigan State ends)
Channel: ESPN
Link: Watch ESPN

Kansas vs. Duke Preview

Duke is the 5th-ranked team in the country and has one of the most talented rosters it has had in recent history. Led by freshman phenom Cameron Boozer, the Blue Devils have won all four of their first games so far, including a neutral-site victory over Texas.

Jon Scheyer is in his fourth year at the helm and had to retool his roster following a Final Four appearance last year. The Blue Devils may have lost Cooper Flagg, but they arguably have a more complete team this time around.

Kansas, on the other hand, hasn't looked quite as impressive, falling to North Carolina on the road after a second-half collapse.

Peterson being out may ruin any chance this matchup had of being a thriller, but the Jayhawks will look to stay competitive behind contributions from role players such as Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White. Sophomore center Flory Bidunga is also in the midst of a breakout season and hopes to see his offensive production continue today.

MORE FROM KANSAS ON SI

Three Kansas Jayhawks Who Must Rise Up vs Duke in Champions Classic

Can Kansas Basketball Compete With Duke if Darryn Peterson Is Out?

Flory Bidunga’s Offensive Performance Among Keys to Kansas Defeating Duke