Madison Square Garden has hosted its fair share of great moments and tonight could be the same at the State Farm Champion Classic as No. 24 Kansas (3-1) takes on No. 5 Duke (4-0) in a marquee matchup for two of the top teams in the nation and two of the top freshmen.
Kansas is coming off a 76-57 win against Princeton, their second straight victory after suffering their lone loss of the season to North Carolina. Jon Scheyer’s Duke Blue Devils remain perfect on the season after their 100-62 win over Indiana State. Duke has scored 95 points or more in their last three games and eclipsed the century mark in back-to-back games. This will be Duke's first game against a ranked opponent.
Two of the top freshmen in the nation with square off. Darryn Peterson leads the Jayhawks with 21.5 points per game. He is also averaging 3.5 rebounds per game. In two games with the Jayhawks, the former top recruit is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. Peterson has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and is questionable for Tuesday’s game.
If Peterson can’t go, Kansas will need to rely on 6-foot-10 Sophomore Flory Bidunga, who is averaging 17.0 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game. Bidunga is coming off his first double-double of the season against Princeton where he was 10-for-11 from the field scoring 25 points and hauled in 10 rebounds. He also had three blocks in the win and will need to protect the paint against a Duke team that lives inside.
For Duke, it’s Cameron Boozer leading the way. The son of former Duke star Carlos Boozer is averaging a double-double on the season with 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. At the line this season the former five-star is shooting 79 percent and has only turned the ball over four times on the season. Boozer was named ACC Player and Rookie of the WeeK. Kansas will have their hand full in the paint with the Duke big man.
This top ranked matchup also sees two of the best defensive teams in the nation. Duke allows just 58.8 points per game which is 15th-best in the nation, while Kansas sits three spots behind them in 18th overall with 60.3 points per game. Duke has been outstanding in their first four games holding their opponents to less than 37 percent shooting from the field and opponents are averaging 16.3 turnovers per game.
On the other hand, Kansas comes into the contest as one of the best rim protecting teams in the nation with 7.0 blocks per game which is tied for 12th best in the nation. Bidunga leads the team with 10 blocks on the season and Bryson Tiller has been great off the bench for Bill Self with six blocks on the season.
Kansas has had Duke’s number in recent years, winning the last two meetings and five of the last six going back to 2013. Tuesday’s matchup at Madison Square Garden could be another classic and the Garden will be a packed house for two of the best teams in the nation.
Tip-off between the Jayhawks and Blue Devils from NYC will be at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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