Men’s college basketball may have officially started last week, but the season kicks off in earnest with the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.
The annual primetime event pits four of the top programs in college basketball against each other in rotating cities across the United States. No. 4 Kentucky vs. Michigan State will kick things off at 7 p.m. ET live from Indianapolis followed by No. 6 Kansas vs. No. 7 Duke after a brief intermission—during which the latest College Football Playoff rankings will be revealed.
The Kansas-Duke game will look a little bit different than casual fans are used to. Jon Scheyer has taken over for the recently retired Mike Krzyzewski on the Blue Devils’ sideline while assistant coach Norm Roberts will be handling duties for KU head coach Bill Self while he finishes up a a school-imposed four-game suspension related to a 2017 infractions case.
Yet the star power on the court won’t be lacking. Multiple five-star recruits, McDonalds All-Americans and NBA draft lottery prospects will take the floor, as per usual.
You’ll want to remember the names Dereck Lively II, Dariq Whitehead, Cason Wallace, Tyrese Proctor, Gradey Dick, Chris Livingston, Kevin McCullar and, of course, Oscar Tshiebwe as they’ll be impossible to avoid this season.
It’s a fantastic night for college basketball bettors. Let’s get into it.
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