Duke faces a familiar foe on Tuesday, but John Calipari isn’t coaching Kentucky anymore. Here’s what fans should know about his replacement.
Duke basketball fans don’t need to be introduced to the Kentucky Wildcats, but some might do a double-take at the opposing bench during Tuesday’s game in Atlanta.
After more than a decade with the Wildcats, a run that included a national championship in 2012, John Calipari left Lexington for the Arkansas Razorbacks in April.
Mark Pope now stands in his place, and the new Kentucky coach won each of the first two games at his new job. Pope most recently coached the BYU Cougars for five seasons, winning at least 20 games four times and reaching the NCAA Tournament twice.
Pope coached Utah Valley from 2015-19, transforming the Wolverines from a 12-18 team in year one to a 25-10 team in his final season. He entered this year with a 187-108 record as a head coach, but he’s been 175-90 since that debut season.
According to his coaching resume on the popular analytics website KenPom, Pope’s teams rely on their offense to win games. While the Cougars never finished worse than 70th in adjusted defensive efficiency, they finished within the top 25 on the offensive side in three of his five campaigns. That half of the ball also saw a larger jump with the Wolverines, going from the 268th overall offense in 2015-16 to the 73rd overall offense in 2017-18.
Kentucky, for what it’s worth, has scored 100 points in each of its first two games this season.
If Pope’s name sounds familiar to any longtime Duke basketball fans, it should. He also played for the Wildcats from 1994-96, averaging 7.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steals en route to a national championship as a senior.
Pope and the Wildcats face off against [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] and the Blue Devils at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Duke basketball is gearing up to take on Kentucky on Tuesday, check out our Duke Wire staff predictions for the game.
The Duke Blue Devils brought championship expectations into the 2024-25 season, but head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] and his team will need to prove themselves pretty quickly in November.
After back-to-back wins over Maine and Army to begin the season, the men’s basketball team will play the Kentucky Wildcats in Atlanta on Tuesday night. That rivalry battle, part of the State Farm Champions Classic, kicks off a four-game stretch that includes the Arizona Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks.
Freshman superstar [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] has averaged 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks to begin his collegiate career, but he’s exited the second half of both games with cramps.
“I’m not happy about it for him,” Scheyer said after Friday’s win over Army. “We’ve got to help him, and we will…We can’t have that happening. Bottom line.”
With Flagg’s second-half status and the emergence of Kon Knueppel (18.5 points per game), can the Blue Devils start stacking ranked wins before Thanksgiving?
Here are our staff predictions for Tuesday’s game.
Ryan Haley, Duke Wire site editor
If there’s one thing both of these rosters will do, it’s fire off 3-pointers. Exactly half of the Blue Devils’ attempts came from behind the arc through two games. The Wildcats aren’t far behind with 41.7% of their attempts from distance, and both teams are connecting on at least 40% of their triples.
However, in a battle of high-octane offenses, the Duke defense will win a war of attrition. Flagg and Khaman Maluach make enough plays in the interior, but the Blue Devils’ size on the perimeter can’t be understated. Every member of the backcourt being at least 6-foot-5 with excellent lateral quickness will ensure the Wildcats don’t get many free looks, and that tenacity has shown its ability to win out over 40 minutes.
Flagg notches at least four combined steals and blocks, Knueppel makes at least four 3-pointers, and the Duke basketball hype reaches another pitch.
Duke 94, Kentucky 76
Bryant Crews, Staff Writer
In earnest, Duke’s season officially begins with this game. The games against Maine and Army were nice tune-ups that counted but now rubber meets the road, literally and figuratively. Duke will leave North Carolina for the first time this basketball season to take on fellow blue blood starting a new era themselves. Mark Pope, a former Wildcat himself, is running things in Lexington after John Calipari left for Arkansas.
Kentucky isn’t as freshmen-heavy as we’ve come to expect when these teams have met over the last six years, and in some ways, it’s hard to say Duke is.
Nonetheless, Duke’s major three freshman starters will play a massive role in the tremendous jump up in competition and intensity. It’s always intriguing to see how these highly touted freshmen play when the level of play needs to rise tremendously. I have no doubt that Flagg, Kneuppel, and Maluach will be ready to rock in Atlanta.
I have Duke winning this game. Kentucky will be a problem and seeing Maluach go head-to-head with Amari Williams will be fun. I think Flagg has his early-season marquee moment much like Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero had against this same program. Tyrese Proctor knocks down multiple 3-pointers, and Sion James records at least one block, steal, assist, and rebound apiece on top of dropping a few points to really show his worth as a glue guy extraordinaire.
Duke 81, Kentucky 72
Josiah Caswell, Staff Writer
Duke has arguably the most talented team in America, and that’s been on clear display so far in the season. Whether it’s their returning talent, transfer talent, or most notably their freshman talent, the Blue Devils have it all.
The thing is, relying on so much freshman talent can have its ups and downs. It could mean nothing, but it could also mean something if a learning bump arises given the early schedule.
Regardless, I don’t think that will matter against Kentucky. The Wildcats have a new coach, who is a good one, and an entirely new team. As a result, there’s just as much novelty for them as there is for Duke.
The Blue Devils have the better coach and the more talented team in my opinion. Duke will win.
Flagg’s recent cramping issues are worth noting, however. He’ll need to stay well-hydrated and do his best to stay on the court as much as possible.
Duke basketball plays Kentucky in Atlanta on Tuesday night, and ESPN Analytics think the Blue Devils should be heavily favored.
The Duke Blue Devils play their first ranked opponent of a grueling non-conference schedule when they battle the Kentucky Wildcats in Atlanta on Tuesday night, and ESPN Analytics thinks they’ll start that stretch with a win.
According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, the Blue Devils have a 70.8% chance to dispatch the Wildcats and new head coach Mark Pope.
Duke has won each of its first two games by at least 30 points thanks to its freshman tandem of [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and [autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag].
Knueppel, the ACC Rookie of the Week, paced the Blue Devils in scoring against Maine and Army to average 18.5 points per game. Flagg, the top-ranked freshman and presumed No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA draft, has averaged 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks against the Black Bears and Black Knights.
There’s more to the team than those two, however. Six different Blue Devils scored at least 10 points in both games, something that had never happened under head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] in his previous two seasons.
The Wildcats reached triple digits in both of their first two games under Pope, defeating Wright State 103-62 and Bucknell 100-72. Koby Brea, who transferred to Kentucky from Dayton this offseason, paces the team with 19.0 points per game to start the year.
The Duke Blue Devils moved up one spot in Monday’s AP Poll after starting the 2024-25 season with two straight wins.
The Duke Blue Devils started their 2024-25 men’s basketball season on the right foot, beating Maine by 34 points and the Army Black Knights by 42, and the Associated Press rewarded them slightly in Monday’s updated rankings.
Head coach Jon Scheyer and his team will have plenty of chances to prove themselves over the next month with four top-20 opponents in the non-conference schedule. Duke’s next opponent, the Kentucky Wildcats, moved up four spots to 19th, and the Arizona Wildcats (No. 9), Kansas Jayhawks (No. 1), and Auburn Tigers (No. 5) all appear on the slate before December 4th.
The North Carolina Tar Heels, who lost to the Jayhawks on the road last week, slipped down one spot to 10th. No other ACC teams broke into the top 25, but the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Miami Hurricanes, and Clemson Tigers all received at least 10 votes.
Despite two dominant wins to start the season, the Blue Devils dropped one spot to sixth in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
The Duke Blue Devils opened the 2024-25 men’s basketball season with comfortable wins over Maine and Army, but events around the country still dropped head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] and his team down one spot to sixth in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
The Kansas Jayhawks, Alabama Crimson Tide, and two-time defending champion Connecticut Huskies remained the top three teams in order, but big wins for the Auburn Tigers and Gonzaga Bulldogs jumped them into the top five.
Auburn beat the Houston Cougars, who started the season fourth in the rankings, and the Bulldogs beat the Baylor Bears by 38 points in one of the more emphatic statements of the opening week.
The Blue Devils play the Jayhawks and Tigers in the next month. The Kentucky Wildcats, whom Duke plays on Tuesday, shuffled up to 18th, and the Arizona Wildcats stayed within the top 10 ahead of next week’s road matchup.
Check out the complete coaches poll below:
Ranking
Team
Record
Points
1
Kansas
2-0
759 (21)
2
Alabama
2-0
724 (4)
3
UConn
2-0
702 (3)
4
Auburn
2-0
660 (2)
5
Gonzaga
2-0
651 (1)
6
Duke
2-0
608
7
Iowa State
1-0
576
8
Arizona
2-0
516
9
Tennessee
2-0
502
10
Houston
1-1
488
11
North Carolina
1-1
456
12
Purdue
2-0
437
13
Creighton
2-0
385
14
Baylor
1-1
328
15
Marquette
2-0
308
16
Indiana
2-0
234
17
Cincinnati
2-0
230
18
Kentucky
2-0
182
19
Florida
2-0
179
20
Illinois
2-0
151
21
Arkansas
1-1
150
22
Ohio State
1-0
148
23
Texas A&M
1-1
99
24
Rutgers
1-0
84
25
St. John’s
2-0
79
Dropped Out
No. 19 Texas; No. 22 UCLA; No. 25 Ole Miss
Receiving Votes
Texas Tech 75; Ole Miss 60; Texas 54; Xavier 38; Oregon 37; Michigan State 29; BYU 29; UCLA 18; UCF 17; Wake Forest 12; Saint Mary’s 12; Kansas State 9; Clemson 9; New Mexico 8; Dayton 8; North Florida 7; Maryland 5; Providence 4; Mississippi State 4; Nevada 2; San Francisco 1; Grand Canyon 1
Because of Montrell Johnson Jr.‘s unavailability for the game due to an injury, Baugh served as Florida’s lead back and ran all over Kentucky’s defense.
The freshman was a workhorse on Saturday night, running for 106 yards on 22 carries and scoring a total of five touchdowns.
Baugh matched a program record set by Tim Tebow in 2007 and Trey Burton in 2010, achieving the most rushing touchdowns in a single game by a true freshman.
“Gives me confidence,” Baugh said about his performance against Kentucky. “But also gives my team, too, as in we know we could have did this as an offense and a defense. Like the defense played great today. That gave us the opportunity on offense to do what we did today.”Head coach Billy Napier gave praise to not just the offensive line, but the surrounding positions that helped make Florida’s run game successful.
“We ran it good last week, you know,” Napier said after the game. “I think here for a couple weeks in a row—look, it comes down to having a good plan, having a hat for a hat, and then got a ton of people this contribute to the run game. Not just the offensive line. The tight ends, receivers, obviously the quarterback in the middle of that as well.”
Coming up for Florida
The Gators are off next week due to their bye week. The next matchup for Florida will be against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 2 in Jacksonville. That game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ABC.
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EDGE Jack Pyburn recorded two snaps at fullback when the Gators were at the goal line in their win vs. Kentucky.
Florida football dominated the Kentucky Wildcats last week with a commanding 48-20 victory, showcasing a potent combination of explosive offense and standout defensive play.
Gators head coach Billy Napier credited the team’s improvement on defense after the game.
“Yeah, I think we got good kids, man,” Napier noted. “I mean, that’s at the root of all that. I could talk about the technical part, but it comes down to a selfless group that was solution-oriented, didn’t point a finger.”
Napier continued, “Obviously (I’m) disappointed (with) how we played early in the year. The staff took ownership. We had really good leadership at the player level. There was collaboration there.”
“Again, it goes back to what I said in here after game one,” Napier said about the defense when they gave up 41 points against the Miami Hurricanes. “They were embarrassed. We were embarrassed. So we had a decision to make, and I think obviously, (I’m) just really proud of the players. At the core, they want to do it the right way.”
Napier talks about EDGE Jack Pyburn
Napier also highlighted standout performances that have helped drive the team’s improvement such as edge defender Jack Pyburn. Pyburn finished the night with eight total tackles, four of which were solo.
“Look, Jack (Pyburn) was lights out,” Napier said. “You know, I think it’s a factor. Pyburn, he’s made our team better.”
Pyburn not only played on defense against Kentucky, but he also got two snaps in at the fullback position.
“We got some guys that are very vocal, have character and have shown good leadership,” Napier said. “Pyburn is in that (group), and he has a future as a fullback if he can’t play on the edge.”
Other Gators who have switched to the other side of the ball
Pyburn isn’t the only player who’s played on both sides of the ball for the Gators.
“(He) played some tight end in the past,” Napier said of Hill’s recruitment. “I thought his senior tape was special. He played with a shoulder, tough as nails. Obviously, Coach Whittemore runs a great program over there. They made a great run in the playoff. He’s a Gator through and through. There’s just a different level of passion that he’s going to bring.”
Coming up for Florida
The Gators are off next week due to their bye week. The next matchup for Florida will be against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 2 in Jacksonville. That game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ABC.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
The Gators Wire staff offers its instant reactions to Florida’s blowout win on homecoming against the Kentucky Wildcats.
Homecoming for the Florida football program was punctuated with a 48-20 win over the Kentucky Wildcats inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday night. The Gators came in amped behind a raucous crowd and did not disappoint the loyal fans.
Billy Napier’s squad controlled things from the get-go, scoring a field goal in the red zone on the game-opening drive that soaked up almost five minutes. They would add 24 more points in the second half against UK’s baker’s dozen to take a 27-13 lead into the locker room.
The Gators Wire staff convened to offer their respective instant reactions in a good, bad and ugly format after the final horn. Take a look below at what we had to say.
The true freshmen shine on offense
Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
GOOD: The true freshmen shine on offense. Quarterback DJ Lagway and running back Jadan Baugh were the motors that kept the Gators’ offense up and running. Lagway’s deep ball accuracy was on full display as he was slinging it all over, what’s regarded as, a good Kentucky defense.
He also did a good job in utilizing his legs and ran with ease against the Wildcats.
As for Baugh, I mean, what a performance. With Montrell Johnson Jr. out due to injury, Baugh served as Florida’s lead running back and had a total of five rushing touchdowns.
BAD: There weren’t a whole lot of “bad” things to look at from the Gators’ performance against Kentucky. I guess you’d like to see the offense be more consistent, especially in the second half. It’s been an ongoing trend for Florida.
hey played almost flawlessly in the first half and in the second, there were some hiccups and not a lot of movement down the field. But again, it’s tough to look at something that was “bad” from what seemed like one of Florida’s best all-around performances of the year.
UGLY: Gators star cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. left the game due to an injury in the third quarter. Marshall, arguably Florida’s best player in their secondary, got hurt diving to the ground while trying to prevent a Kentucky touchdown.
Marshall was looked at on the sidelines by trainers before walking over to the locker room in significant pain. Unfortunately, Marshall came out of the locker room with a sling on his arm and while we don’t know the severity of the injury as of now, it’s going to be a major blow for Florida’s defense. — Aidan Gallardo
Pretty much a perfect performance for a homecoming game
Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun
GOOD: An SEC win in front of a homecoming crowd against a school the Gators once dominated but have lost three in a row to? Yeah, I would say that is very good.
Lagway’s completion percentage left something to be desired but his results spoke for themselves, throwing five completions of over 40 yards in this one. Then Baugh’s breakout performance was a beautiful thing to behold.
Shout out to the receiving corps as well for grabbing those DJ throws as well as the three interceptions by the defense. Dare I say this was a well-rounded effort?
BAD: Florida’s run defense gave up almost seven yards a carry at one point in the first half and looked for a while like it was going to let the ‘Cats have their way on the ground. Of course, things turned around in the second half.
UGLY: Lagway’s INT and UK’s punt return for a touchdown were both the low points of this game, but other than those two nadirs, this was a clean win for the Orange and Blue. The penalties were minimal, the turnovers were limited and the boneheaded errors were absent.
Pretty much a perfect performance for a homecoming game. — Adam Dubbin
DJ Lagway exceeded all expectations
Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun
GOOD: DJ Lagway exceeded all expectations in his first start against an FBS opponent, and the future is incredibly bright for this offense moving forward. With Lagway under center, defenses are going to have a hard time figuring out what coverage to run.
He can extend plays with his legs and move around to find time for the deep man. He can scramble when no one is open. And both of those factors distract the defense from the fact that Florida has a solid run game without leaning on the QB.
The playbook has opened up with Lagway at the helm, and he doesn’t need to throw touchdowns for the Gators to win games (more on that in a moment).
GOOD: Jadan Baugh is the future at running back in Gainesville, and he made a LOUD statement rushing for 106 yards and five touchdowns, tying a school record, in his second start — it’s the first time Florida has started a true freshman at both quarterback and running back.
Sure, some of those came right after big gains from Lagway through the air, but no one is upset once the ball crosses the goal line. More importantly, it tells us that selfishness isn’t a problem for this team. When you have two “rookies” put on a show like that together, it’s hard not to be optimistic about the future of the program.
GOOD: Allowing 20 points isn’t usually indicative of an excellent defensive night, but the Gators only allowed the Wildcats to score one touchdown on offense.
The math is simple. Three takeaways — including a pick-six from Cormani McClain — trumps one bad drive. Let’s not forget the early stop on 4th and 1 just a few yards out from the end zone. Something changed with this defense a few weeks ago, and it’s going to give Florida a chance to win at least one game against four ranked opponents over the next five weeks.
I’m not worried about losing Jason Marshall Jr. if his injury is serious. McClain is going to keep getting better as he sees the field more, and Devin Moore is a solid corner when he’s healthy.
Yes, I did three GOODs this week. People deserve to be happy in moments like this. If you find yourself mad about Billy Napier smiling after a game like this, seek professional help.
Florida’s next game details
The Gators are off next week due to their bye week. The next matchup for Florida will be against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 2 in Jacksonville. That game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ABC.
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Gator Nation react to the big performances by DJ Lagway and Jadan Baugh against Kentucky.
Florida football had one of their best all-around performances of the season as they defeated the Kentucky Wildcats, 48-20, in the Swamp.
Quarterback DJ Lagway and running back Jadan Baugh were a big part of Florida’s offensive attack against Kentucky. The two true freshmen served as the Gators’ heartbeat on offense.
Lagway was 7-for-13 through the air with 259 yards passing and one interception. Lagway also had 46 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Baugh had 22 carries for 106 yards rushing and five touchdowns. With those five touchdowns, Baugh tied the Florida football program record.
Here’s what Gators fans thought of their performances.
DJ Lagway might mess around and save Napier’s job this season. I am telling you, this kid should’ve been the starter from Game 1. He makes everyone better.
The Gators are off next week due to their bye week. The next matchup for Florida will be against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 2 in Jacksonville. That game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ABC.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
DJ Lagway and Jadan Baugh steal the show for the Gators offense in the first half against Kentucky.
In a game under the lights in the Swamp on Saturday night, Florida football hosted the Kentucky Wildcats for its 2024 homecoming game. It was a wild first half, with the Gators leading 27-13 after 30 minutes of play.
To get things started and get the crowd energized was Gators legend running back John L. Williams who served as the game’s honorary Mr. Two Bits. The 1984 SEC Championship team was also honored as well.
Florida received the ball first and as true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway trotted out onto the field, chants of, “DJ Lagway!”, echoed throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
First half overview
The Gators moved down the field in a hurry and with ease on their opening possession. Lagway’s first pass completion was to receiver Eugene Wilson III for a gain of 40 yards and Florida made it into the red zone, but couldn’t punch the ball into the endzone.
Instead, they were forced to attempt a 29-yard field goal which was drilled by Trey Smack to give the Gators an early 3-0 lead.
The Florida defense started out strong and was all over the field as they forced Kentucky to punt on their first two possessions. But, it was the same story for the offense in terms of the struggles to get touchdowns in the red zone.
Florida was marching down the field on their third offensive drive of the half, but as soon as they reached the 20-yard line, the offense stalled. Smack managed to knock in the 33-yard field goal to give Florida a 6-0 lead at the beginning of the second quarter.
Kentucky finally got their offense going on their third drive as quarterback Brock Vandagriff connected with receiver Barion Brown for a 45-yard touchdown. However, the game stayed tied 6-6 after Kentucky’s kicker missed the extra point.
With just over eight minutes to go in the first half, Lagway completed a 50-yard throw down the middle of the field to Elijhah Badger to put the Gators on Kentucky’s 7-yard line. That set up a touchdown run by Jadan Baugh to give Florida their first touchdown of the night and a 13-6 lead.
The following drive for Kentucky ended with an interception by defensive back Trikweze Bridges to set the Gators up with possession at midfield. But it didn’t matter because Lagway threw an interception two plays later.
But remarkably, Florida’s defense held their ground as Kentucky was inching towards the goal line and forced a turnover-on-downs. Florida was able to score a touchdown on the ensuing drive thanks to a 10-yard rushing touchdown by Baugh.
Kentucky returned the kickoff immediately after the Gators scored for a 99-yard touchdown.
Florida’s first-half stats
Looking at the first-half stats for the Gators, Lagway was 4-for-11 with 152 yards passing. Lagway also had 40 rushing yards on seven carries.
Baugh really played a perfect first half of football, rushing for 88 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
The Gators’ defense forced two interceptions and allowed just 159 total yards in the first half.
Let’s see if Florida can keep it going in the second half.
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