Live Game Thread & Updates for Kansas Basketball vs. Kentucky in Champions Classic

Kansas and Kentucky are set to compete in the 16th annual Champions Classic at the United Center tonight after Duke and Michigan State wrap up their contest. It marks the third game of the regular season for both squads and the first real marquee matchup.

Tyran Stokes, Milan Momcilovic, and a number of other stars will face off on the court tonight in what should be a hard-fought contest. KU has come out victorious in each of the past three Champions Classic meetings with the Wildcats.

For those who can't watch the game and need to track the score online, we've got you covered at Kansas on SI. We'll be updating this page periodically throughout the night with the latest developments from the game.

Kansas vs. Kentucky Basketball Live Score Updates

Bill Self, Tyran Stokes — Nov 2, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talks with guard Tyran Stokes (4) against the Fordham Rams during the first half of the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First Half

Pregame: With Melvin Council Jr. sidelined for the rest of conference play, expect Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. to slot into his place in the starting five.

20:00: Michigan State kicked off the night with a convincing win over Duke, and the Jayhawks and Wildcats will take the court next. In typical Champions Classic fashion, tip-off time has been pushed back to 8:53 p.m. CT.

18:56: Trey Kaufman-Renn gets the scoring started for KU, knocking down his second three of the season. He's already matched his season total from last year, so he's clearly worked on his outside shot during the offseason. Kansas leads, 3-2.

16:49: First timeout of the night taken by Bill Self after a Zoom Diallo layup makes it a five-point game. A couple of sloppy defensive possessions from the Jayhawks and Self wants to talk it over. Kentucky leads, 10-5.

16:01: Things are getting feisty in Chicago. Ousmane N'Diaye took exception to a light shove by Taylen Kinney, and the officials are reviewing it at the monitor right now to see if either team should be assessed a dead-ball technical foul. Kentucky leads, 10-7.

14:44: A layup on a backcut from Leroy Blyden and a sequence where Kaufman-Renn hit a pair of free throws after simply taking the ball from a Kentucky player after a rebound gives the Jayhawks the lead. Kansas leads, 11-10.

12:35: Kansas is in the midst of a scoring drought, but Kentucky is being gifted free points. Keanu Dawes was just called for a phantom foul on Mason Williams under the rim, giving UK a four-point lead. Kentucky leads, 15-11.

11:48: Huge impact from Tyran Stokes on back-to-back plays. He converts an and-1 and finds Dennis Parker Jr. under the net, who dishes it to Taylen Kinney for an easy 3-pointer. Kansas leads, 17-15.

9:59: Stokes continues to make a difference, knocking down a pair of long jumpers. His foot was on the line for the second one, but it's encouraging to see him hit from long range considering he struggled from beyond the arc in the preseason. Kansas leads, 24-17.

8:51: It's a dunk fest at the United Center. Stokes gets up for an easy slam off a Kentucky turnover, then Christian Reeves rises for a nasty alley oop the next possession. Man, is this team fun to watch when they are running in transition. Kansas leads, 28-19.

6:09: 13 points for Stokes now, who just connected on his second three of the night. He and Kinney are working in tandem, and the chemistry between them is evident. Kansas leads, 33-23.

4:46: Kentucky started to cut into the lead a bit, but Tre White just killed the momentum with a timely corner three. It's back to an eight-point lead for KU. Kansas leads, 36-28.

2:16: Reeves is having his best half as a Jayhawk so far, cleaning up a miss from Trent Perry for his eighth points of the evening. The Jayhawks haven't subbed Paul Mbiya in yet. Kansas leads, 42-31.

1:21: Dennis Parker Jr. was assessed with a common foul, but Bill Self appealed to see if there was a flagrant act after the contact. The officials deemed that it did not meet the criteria of one, and UK made one of two free throws to make it a six-point game. Kansas leads, 42-36.

0:00: Kaufman-Renn caps off the half with a layup and a post hook to make it a double-digit deficit for Kentucky. That's as good as it gets. Kansas leads Kentucky at halftime, 46-36.

Kansas First Half Top Performers

Tyran Stokes: 13 points, 5-for-13 shooting, 4 rebounds
Trey Kaufman-Renn: 11 points, 4-for-5 shooting, 4 rebounds
Christian Reeves: 8 points, 4-for-5 shooting, 3 offensive rebounds

Second Half

17:46: Solid start to the half for KU. N'Diaye just missed a pair at the foul line, keeping this a double-digit game. Kansas leads, 51-41.

16:24: It's starting to get out of hand here in Chicago. Stokes' second three of the half and an and-1 layup by White makes this an 17-point lead less than four minutes into the second half. This is as cohesive we've seen Kansas play together this year. Kansas leads, 58-41.

15:00: White hits Zoom Diallo with a step-back three that might end up on SportsCenter tomorrow. There's simply been no defensive resistance from UK all game. Kansas leads, 63-41.

13:38: Crafty veteran move by White to draw a shooting foul late in the shot clock. He has 17 points for the game. It's been all Jayhawks the entire half. Kansas leads, 65-43.

11:24: A lazy stretch from KU and Kentucky is trying to make one final run. Let's see if the Jayhawks can regroup after the TV timeout. Kansas leads, 65-49.

9:56: Malachi Moreno is starting to come alive after dealing with foul trouble in the first half. He's up to nine points after failing to convert an and-1 in which he drew contact from Kaufman-Renn on a post hook but missed the free throw. Kansas leads, 69-53.

7:44: Stokes now leads the Jayhawks with 21 points following a layup to extend the lead to 17. We're at the second-to-last TV timeout of the half, and there have been very few signs of life from the Wildcats. Kansas leads, 71-54.

6:12: White was just blocked on a layup attempt, and it was redirected inside the hoop. Even he couldn't believe it went in, and that's just the kind of night the Jayhawks are having. They are firing on all cylinders right now. Kansas leads, 74-59.

4:21: White and Kaufman-Renn have been clicking the entire game. TKR just assisted a cutting White on an easy dunk to put an exclamation point on the soon-to-be win. Kansas leads, 77-59.

3:30: Dawes with perhaps his best sequence of the night. He came in crashing the glass off a Blyden miss, and the ball flew off the backboard and resulted in a KU offensive rebound. A few passes later, Stokes finds him at the rim for an easy layup. Kansas leads, 79-62.

2:50: White just connected on an end-of-shot-clock prayer in the left corner for three more points. That'll put a bow on this game for the Jayhawks. This will go down as one of the most well-rounded regular-season performances by a KU team in recent memory. Kansas leads, 82-62.

0:00: Kansas defeats Kentucky, 89-69.

Nov 14, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward K.J. Adams Jr. (24) scores against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

How to Watch Kansas vs. Kentucky

Time: 8:30 p.m. CT (subject to change)
Channel: ESPN
Link: Watch ESPN

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