Tuesday’s Champions Classic reshuffled the college basketball hierarchy. Unranked Michigan State stunned No. 2 Duke 79‑73, while Kansas trounced Kentucky 89‑69 after a first‑half hole that the Wildcats never escaped. Kentucky’s defense, led by coach Mark Fox, collapsed, allowing 46 points and 13 assists in just 20 minutes, and the offense sputtered on 4‑of‑19 three‑point shooting. Zoom Diallo emerged as a bright spot, scoring 24 points on 10‑of‑13 shooting, and guard Taylen Kinney dished eight assists. Duke’s shooting woes (20‑of‑60) cost them a comeback, and freshman Deron Rippey Jr. saw his minutes shrink. The night highlighted major fallers in Kentucky’s scheme and rise for a few individual performers, setting an intriguing tone for the season.
It’s a blue blood matchup in Chicago for the Champions Classic. Kansas. Kentucky. Let’s get it. Time: 8:30pm Jayhawk Time TV: Regular ol’ ESPN Line: Kansas -4.5 Rock Chalk!
Kansas heads to the Champions Classic in Lexington to face Kentucky, both teams unbeaten at 2-0. The Jayhawks, favored by 4.5 points, rely on superior talent and athleticism, while the Wildcats—ranked 35th by Bart Torvik with a 26th‑ranked offense—aim to leverage three‑point shooting and solid offensive rebounding. Coach Mark Pope’s spread‑floor approach contrasts with Kentucky’s need to adapt after Melvin Council’s absence. The preview projects a close contest, predicting a 79‑73 Kansas win.
Tuesday's November 10, 2026 college basketball schedule features Duke vs. Michigan State, Kansas vs. Kentucky, Florida vs. Florida State and Illinois vs. Texas Tech. See game times and TV channels.
The Kentucky Wildcats open the 2026-27 season ranked No. 23 but slip to No. 24 in the AP Poll after a 2‑0 start versus Manhattan and James Madison. They also fall out of the Coaches Poll, sitting just outside the top 25 with 101 votes. With a tough non‑conference slate—including a State Farm Champions Classic matchup against No. 15 Kansas on Nov. 10—Kentucky can rebound quickly. Upcoming games versus Virginia (No. 6), Louisville (No. 10) and a gauntlet of SEC foes offer chances to climb back up, while various analytics rankings place the Cats between No. 19 and No. 30.
Michigan State rebounds from shaky exhibitions with wins over Quinnipiac and Toledo, but the Spartans face a daunting test against Duke in the Champions Classic on Tuesday in Chicago. Duke, a 2‑0 national title contender, cruises past Army (84‑50) and Coastal Carolina (113‑52) and blasts Belmont, Tennessee and Kansas in exhibitions, highlighted by Patrick Ngongba II’s 28 points and 10 rebounds versus Kansas. The preview breaks down Duke’s projected starters—Dame Sarr, Joaquim Boumtje, Ngongba, John Blackwell and Cayden Boozer—and outlines possible Michigan State matchups, sparking debate over lineups for Tom Izzo’s squad.
The Game Haus releases a 2026‑27 tracker of NCAA Division I college basketball jersey patch sponsors, listing every program that has confirmed a deal. Highlights include Illinois’ $6 million annual deal with Busey Bank ($30 million over five years), Michigan State’s reported $4 million per year with MSU Federal Credit Union, and Ohio State’s $17 million annual partnership with JPMorgan Chase. The ACC sees multi‑sport patches from California (Dialpad) and Stanford (DoorDash), while the Big Ten and SEC feature similar multi‑sport agreements. The Big 12 runs a conference‑wide deal with Monster Energy, supplemented by school‑specific sponsors such as Carvana at Arizona and Ripple at Kansas. The table provides contract lengths, values (where disclosed) and notes on each arrangement.
Kentucky opens its 2026-27 men’s basketball season tonight at 7:00 PM ET on SEC Network+ against the Manhattan Jaspers, who sit 316th in the KenPom preseason rankings. The Wildcats, now in the third year of Mark Pope’s tenure, look to build on a strong exhibition run that included wins over Little Rock, Texas Tech and UCF. This stream‑only contest is the first of two games this week before Kentucky heads to the Champions Classic against Kansas next Friday. The preview also notes odds, national championship chatter and injury updates, including Kam Williams’ likely absence.
Kentucky opens its 2026-27 season on Nov. 3 against Manhattan at Rupp Arena, looking to build on a 3‑0 exhibition run that included a 90‑76 OT win over UCF and a 76‑65 victory versus Texas Tech. Coach Mark Pope hopes the Wildcats can tighten up offensive droughts and defensive lapses before a key Kansas matchup, while new guard Zoom Diallo seeks to find his scoring touch after a quiet preseason. Manhattan arrives after a 12‑20 campaign and major roster turnover but boasts a turnaround under John Gallagher, who guided the Jaspers to a 17‑win season and a CBI bid last year. The preview highlights key storylines and predictions for the stream‑only game.
Trey Kaufman-Renn makes his Kansas debut off the bench, scoring 9 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in the No. 17 Jayhawks' 95-65 season‑opening victory over Fordham. The former Purdue star entered the game early in the first half and scored within 13 seconds, ending weeks of eligibility uncertainty after securing an NCAA injunction. Ranked No. 36 in ESPN’s preseason top‑100, Kaufman‑Renn could bolster Bill Self’s frontcourt as a reliable reserve. Kansas also saw Zeke Mayo White (22 points) and freshman Darryn Peterson Stokes (15) contribute, while the program decides if the transfer will earn a starting role.
Kentucky Wildcats kick off the 2026 season tonight at Rupp Arena, hosting the Manhattan Jaspers after a flawless 3‑0 exhibition run. The Wildcats, currently ranked in the top 25, aim to build momentum before facing James Madison and Kansas, while also eyeing a potential rise to Final Four contention. Simultaneously, the first College Football Playoff poll drops at 7 PM ET, with Kentucky sitting at No. 8 in the AP Top 25 and expected to remain in the top ten. The preview also highlights recent accolades: a 14‑point win over Morehead State, SEC volleyball honors, Milan Momcilovic on the Naismith preseason watch list, and several recruiting updates.
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas previews the 2026‑27 college basketball season, praising Duke as the nation’s most talented squad and noting their depth, size and versatile guards after impressive exhibition wins over Kansas and Tennessee. He ranks Florida No. 1 in the preseason AP and Coaches polls, highlighting their elite frontcourt and veteran core, and points to the Miami‑Florida opener as a key Week 1 matchup. Bilas also stresses the importance of a strong start for Kentucky, lauds freshmen like Caleb Holt (Arizona) and Tyran Stokes (Kansas), and offers insights on Arizona’s roster outlook. The interview, edited for clarity, airs as Bilas calls Duke’s season on Monday against Army.
Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm shifts focus from the transfer portal to high‑school recruiting, scheduling a campus visit for four‑star Canadian forward Godson Okokoh on Nov. 6‑7. Ranked No. 111 by 247Sports, the 6‑ft‑8 Ottawa native—who logged a standout Overtime Elite season with Bella Vista Prep’s City Reapers, shined at the Nike EYBL Scholastic and Under Armour circuits, and helped Canada win the FIBA U‑18 AmeriCup gold—has also visited West Virginia and fields offers from Kansas, Ohio State, USC and others. Okokoh follows five‑star Malachi Jordan’s recent trip as St. John’s prepares for its season opener vs. Monmouth on Nov. 2.
The Big 12 media and coaches preseason polls, released on October 29, 2026, rank Kansas third behind Arizona and Houston. Both polls agree on the top three, with the Jayhawks led by five‑star freshman Tyran Stokes, who earns CBS Sports Preseason First Team All‑America honors and is projected as a potential No. 1 NBA draft pick. The full poll lists all 14 conference teams, confirming Kansas as a contender for a strong season in the league.
Indiana basketball is set to host 2028 four‑star point guard Amarion Smith‑Holley during the weekend of Nov. 14, according to 247Sports reporter Dushawn London. The 6‑foot junior from Richwoods HS in Peoria, Ill., posted 21.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.5 steals as a sophomore and earned Class 4A IBCA and Illinois Media all‑state first‑team honors. Ranked No. 74 overall and No. 14 at his position, Smith‑Holley also played for Mac Irvin Fire on the Nike EYBL circuit and has offers from Kansas, Illinois, LSU, TCU, and more. IU football meets USC that same weekend.
Duke’s recent trip to Kansas sees Patrick Ngongba explode into a dominant force, contributing 28 points – 31.1% of the team’s total – alongside John Blackwell’s 23. At 6‑11, 250 lb, Ngongba has added muscle and athleticism, showcasing a new three‑point range and the ability to finish through five defenders in the lane. His transformation from a smart, non‑athletic player last season to a powerhouse this year is the headline of Duke’s performance.
Duke finally breaks a 38‑year drought in Lawrence, edging Kansas in a high‑scoring 84‑point exhibition. While the Blue Devils dazzled with an 81.8% shooting night (27‑33), defensive lapses gave up 84 points, prompting coach Jon Scheyer to focus on cleanup work. Freshmen JoJo Boumtje Boumtje and Deron Rippey shot 3‑for‑12, all from three, and struggled with the intense crowd. Key contributors Pat Ngongba, John Blackwell, and newcomer Sebastian Wilkins dominated inside, but the team still needs a steady, pass‑first point guard—Cayden Boozer is a strong candidate. Upcoming games against Army, Coastal Carolina, Michigan State and others will test the freshmen’s progress and the impact of returning players like Drew Scharnowski and Caleb Foster.
Duke defeated Kansas 90-84 in an exhibition at Allen Fieldhouse as Patrick Ngongba II scored 28 points. The game revisited a memorable chapter of college basketball history.
The Daily Mauling recaps Kansas' 78-71 exhibition loss to Duke, highlighting Bill Self's small‑ball lineups and Keanu Dawes' dunk at Allen Fieldhouse. It also notes UNLV coach Josh Pastner's complaints about playing Trey Kaufman‑Renn, Dave Aranda's firing after KU's sloppy win over Baylor, and Oregon football's OC dismissal after a 0‑3 start. Additional links cover early‑season result reliability, a Guardian piece on policing, and a quirky fast‑food poll.
Duke storms into Allen Fieldhouse and beats No. 17 Kansas 90‑84 in an exhibition on Oct. 25, 2026. Junior forward Patrick Ngongba dominates with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, while Jon Blackwell adds 23 points and Dame Sarr converts 8 of 11 free throws. Freshmen JoJo Boumtje Boumtje and Deron Rippey struggle, but depth from Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer and bench spark Sebastian Wilkins keep the Blue Devils ahead. Kansas briefly leads 68‑64 before a decisive 9‑0 run. Coach Bill Self cites Ngongba’s pivot as the key difference, and Duke coach Jon Scheyer praises the team’s road toughness.
No. 2 Duke pushed past No. 17 Kansas, 90-84, in a road exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse on Sunday, Oct. 25.
No. 2 Duke visits No. 17 Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse for the Blue Devils' final preseason game on Sunday, Oct. 25, with tipoff at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The State Farm Blue Blood Classic pits Duke against Kansas on Sunday, a much‑anticipated showdown after Kansas’ narrow loss to Louisville. Kansas struggled from three‑point range (7‑29) but stayed competitive, led by starters Paul Mbiya, Taylen Kinney, Tre White, Melvin Council and freshman phenom Tyran Stokes, who posted 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. New addition Trey Kaufman‑Renn may also impact the rotation. Duke will rely on freshman guard Taylen Kinney, veteran Council and potential NBA‑first‑pick Stokes, while coach Jon Scheyer decides how to use Dame Sarr and other talents like JoJo Boumtje Boumtje and Deron Rippey. The game promises a test of depth, coaching and rookie composure.
In an exhibition showdown on Oct. 21 at The Phog, Louisville edged Kansas 89-83, with standout guard Obinna “Obi” Ekezie Jr. delivering a triple‑double—four threes, eight rebounds and a block—that sparked the Cardinals’ comeback. Louisville’s Jackson Shelstad led with 23 points, while fresh faces De’Shayne Montgomery and Adrian Wooley added solid scoring. Kansas dominated the paint (40 pts) and fast‑break (26 pts) but fell short, partly due to limited bench production (13 pts vs. Louisville’s 35). The game offered limited scout tape as both teams experimented, leaving fans curious about how these performances will translate to the regular season.
Louisville’s latest influx of talent dominates the headlines as Paul Biancardi ranks three Cardinals—Flory Bidunga (No. 3), Jackson Shelstad (No. 25) and Seth Trimble (No. 51)—among the most impactful college basketball newcomers. The Cards head to Kansas tonight for an exhibition against No. 1 Tyran Stokes, while freshman guard Seth Trimble touts his leadership experience. Elsewhere, Louisville lands multi‑sport star Jackson Burke (baseball shortstop, top QB) and 5‑star PG Cayden Daughtry is set to visit. The post also lists the week’s Cardinal game slate, from softball vs. Bellarmine to men’s soccer at Notre Dame, and highlights media appearances and local news partnerships.