No. 15 Kansas Faces No. 24 Kentucky in Champions Classic at United Center
The two winningest programs in college basketball history will meet for the 10th time in the last 13 seasons when No. 15 Kansas faces No. 24 Kentucky on Tuesday night at the United Center in Chicago, KU Athletics reported.
Tipoff for the State Farm Champions Classic clash is set for approximately 8:30 p.m. Central on ESPN. Kentucky holds the top spot in college basketball history with 2,446 all-time wins, while Kansas ranks second with 2,440 victories, according to KU Athletics.
Kansas enters the contest with a 2-0 record following an 89-45 win against Middle Tennessee on Nov. 6. Kentucky is also 2-0 after defeating James Madison 89-80 on the same night.
Kentucky leads the all-time series 24-12, though the Jayhawks have claimed six of the last eight matchups, as reported by www2.kusports.com. In the Champions Classic, Kansas holds a 9-6 record and has won eight of its last 10 appearances in the event.
“We’re going to play a good team. Two winningest programs of all time hooking up and playing in a neutral-site venue that’ll I’m sure be turned up, it should be a lot of fun,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said, according to www2.kusports.com.
| Team | All-Time Wins | Champions Classic Record | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 2,446 | 6-9 | 2-0 |
| Kansas | 2,440 | 9-6 | 2-0 |
Kansas is averaging 92.0 points per game through its first two outings with a plus-37.0 scoring margin. Fifth-year guard Tre White leads the Jayhawks with a 15.5 scoring average, while fifth-year forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has shot 84.6 percent from the field.
Kentucky features returning 7-footer Malachi Moreno alongside transfers Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins. The Wildcats also added Milan Momcilovic, a shooter who previously played at Iowa State.
“We got to guard him,” Bill Self said of Momcilovic to www2.kusports.com. “He’s arguably the best shooter in the country. He’s got a quick trigger.”
Kansas must play the matchup without senior guard Melvin Council Jr., who suffered a broken foot that is expected to keep him sidelined until around the start of Big 12 Conference play, www2.kusports.com reported.
Following Tuesday’s game in Chicago, Kansas will travel to Las Vegas to open play against UNLV in the Players Era 8 tournament on Nov. 17 at Michelob ULTRA Arena.