It was different to see Kentucky ranked 23rd in the preseason AP Poll, their lowest since the 2008 season. However, a week and a half into the season, they are already climbing the rankings.

Jumping to No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches poll this week, the Wildcats will take another good jump when the updated polls are released Monday, after defeating sixth-ranked Duke in the Champion’s Classic 77-72. They will likely fall in the 11-14 range.

That said, some analysts believe Kentucky is a top 10 team, including one from CBS that has them ranked as the SECOND best team in the country.

Let’s take a look.

CBS

2. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)

It took all of three games for Mark Pope to capture a signature victory at Kentucky. UK outlasted No. 6 Duke on Tuesday in the Champions Classic, nailing 10 3s in the win and downing Duke despite a huge game from Blue Devils freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.

ESPN

8. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
Preseason ranking: 23

At halftime during the Champions Classic, it was fair to question whether Kentucky could consistently get points in a half-court setting against a strong opponent. Duke was keeping the Wildcats out of transition, and after an early barrage of 3s, the team’s attack had dried up. Then Mark Pope made some smart tweaks offensively, using Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison as playmakers in the middle of the floor, and Andrew Carr created matchup problems. The Wildcats answered a lot of questions with their second-half showing.

If the Wildcats are able to maintain this momentum and keep themselves high in the rankings, they will truly be one of the best stories of this college basketball season. A storied program, with a new coach and an entirely new roster.

The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off of a statement win against Duke. However, many of the national stories shortly after the game were about Duke and Cooper Flagg. Now one SportsCenter Host, Shae Peppler, is even discrediting the Wildcats, suggesting they’ve already peaked.

“It’s only their third game of the season,” Peppler said. “You talk about how he [Pope] totally rebuilt this roster from scratch and did it in such a short time. Now where does Kentucky go from here? They’ve already peaked, it feels like.”

To his credit, former Duke guard Jay Williams took up for the Cats quickly after they defeated his alma mater the night before. “No, no, they’re not peaking. You have a team full of veterans that know how to play.”

Mark Pope said postgame that he will be keeping the team off of social media, to prevent them from getting too high or low. This is a perfect example of why.

“Where does Kentucky go from here? They’ve already peaked, it feels like.”

This is the kind of analysis ESPN has now…
pic.twitter.com/kqN7FNqqLG— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) November 13, 2024

In just a few weeks, the Wildcats will have another big test as they take on the fourth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in Seattle. They will look to prove themselves right, and prove the doubters wrong, again.

The Kentucky Wildcats have finished the first week of the regular season 2-0. However, on Tuesday they will have their first big test of the season, traveling to Atlanta to take on the Duke Blue Devils in the Champion’s Classic.

Duke comes in with a roster reminiscent of past Kentucky teams, full of elite freshmen. Meanwhile, Kentucky comes in with the oldest team in program history. It will be a true battle between youth and experience.

The Wildcats are just 1-6 in their last seven Champions Classic games and just 1-5 against Duke over their last six meetings. Can the Wildcats change course? Let’s take a look at the matchup.

Rebounding Battle

Duke has the tallest team in the country, with an average height of 6’7.5”. That certainly helps them in their battle of the boards, where through two games they are averaging 45 rebounds and 14 offensive rebounds.

Meanwhile, Mark Pope has not been pleased with Kentucky’s effort on the boards to start the season. In their latest game against Bucknell, rebounding was a clear point of emphasis as the Cats grabbed 57 rebounds, including 22 offensive boards.

Kentucky doesn’t give up too much height, but they do give up some athleticism. With a lot of long rebounds from threes, all five Cats on the floor need to box out.

Turnover Battle

In addition to their height, Duke also has the length to be pests on defense. Combining for 18 steals on defense through two games, the Blue Devils are able to create offense.

After turning the ball over fifteen times against Bucknell, eight of which between Amari Williams and Andrew Carr, they’re are going to have to be aware of the pressure inside and keep the ball moving.

Conditioning

Mark Pope has talked about improving his team’s conditioning, wanting them to be in a shape reminiscent of Rick Pitino’s 90s teams, which Pope was a part of. They will be able to see where they stand physically, and potentially use it to their advantage.

Currently, Kentucky ranks 26th in adjusted tempo, while Duke ranks 181st. However, both team’s average possession lasts less than 15 seconds. This means a fast-paced game should be expected.

Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg has cramped in each of the Blue Devil’s first two games. If Kentucky can be successful in pushing the pace, it will give them a better chance at the win.

The Stage

This is Kentucky’s most experienced team in program history. However, on Tuesday, many of them will be playing on the biggest stage of their career.

We have seen Kentucky freshmen struggle in this event in the past. Now with a team of veterans, can they contribute when the lights shine the brightest?

Opposing Players to Watch

G/F Cooper Flagg 6-9, 205 lbs

• 15.5 PPG
• 9 RPG
• 4 APG
• 2.5 SPG

G/F Kon Knueppel 6-7, 217 lbs

• 18.5 PPG
• 3 RPG
• 50% 3P

G Tyrese Proctor 6-6, 183 lbs

• 12.0 PPG
• 5 RPG
• 1.5 APG
• 50% 3P

Kentucky Basketball vs. Duke Blue Devils

• Time: 9:00 PM ET on November 12th
  Location: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
  TV Channel: ESPN
  Announcers: Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, Jess Sims
  Online Stream: ESPN+, and the ESPN app.
  Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
  Rosters: UK | DUKE
  Stats to Know: UK | DUKE
  KenPom: UK | DUKE
  Team Sheet: UK | DUKE

• Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook does not yet have the lines for this game, please check back later. For the first time this season, the Wildcats are an underdog: Bart Torvik (31%), EvanMiya (30.7%), ESPN (29.1%), and KenPom (26%).
• Predictions: The projections have Kentucky losing from 7 points to 4 points: KenPom (83-76), EvanMiya (84-77), Bart Torvik (81-76), and Haslametrics (82-78).

Be sure to send us your Kentucky-Duke score predictions down in the comments section!