By Sonny Jones
Finally, a real college basketball game.
As nationally top-ranked North Carolina rolls past Gardner-Webb on Tuesday night and N.C. State, which is far from nationally ranked, likely struggles more than necessary against Florida International, No. 7 Duke will be playing No. 6 Kansas in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.
The young and untested Blue Devils (2-0) will take on the Bill Self-less Jayhawks (2-0) at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Kansas head coach is serving the third of a school-imposed four-game suspension as part of an FBI investigation into college basketball.
How will Duke’s fabulous freshmen that includes Dereck Lively II, Kyle Filipowski and Mark Mitchell, handle being on the big stage — albeit an early-season big stage — against the defending national champion and potential Big 12 player of the year Jalen Wilson and newcomer of the year Gradey Dick.
Neither team has been challenged in winning twice last week. Duke routed Jacksonville 71-44 and South Carolina State 84-38. Kansas romped past Omaha 89-64 and North Dakota State 82-59..
It’s mid-November and Tuesday’s outcome won’t have much impact, if any, come March, but after an opening week of uninspiring match-ups, it’s nice to see a real college basketball game on the schedule.
Enjoy.
• Carolina Panthers quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and P.J. Walker all have suffered high ankle sprains this season during games at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. The stadium switched from natural grass to artificial turf prior to the 2021 season in order to host Major League Soccer games and more big-name concerts. Now, the Panthers players are asking for a return to natural grass. Extremely unlikely to happen, but it should.
• Did you know that only half of the NFL’s 32 teams play on grass fields? Artificial surfaces are used based on economics and maintenance, but football, baseball and soccer are meant to be played on beautiful and living green grass. It’s a better look and much better for the participants.
TUESDAY’S PICK TO CLICK
Jeremy Roach collects a double-double in points and assists in helping Duke slip past Kansas in the Champions Classic.
MONDAY’S PICK: Pyotr Kochetkov is the future in net for the Carolina Hurricanes. Presuming he gets the start against Chicago, he’ll have a 28-save, 2-goal effort against the Blackhawks. RESULTS: Not only did Kochetkov start, he had a 27-save 3-0 shutout against Chicago. He has a 5-0 record with Carolina dating back to last season.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
• 2011 — Mike Krzyzewski becomes Division I’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach when No. 6 Duke beats Michigan State 74-69 in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Blue Devils give Coach K his 903rd win, breaking the tie with Bob Knight, Krzyzewski’s college coach at Army and his mentor throughout his professional career.
POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY
• FOOTBALL: Bowling Green at Toledo, 7 p.m., ESPNU
• NBA: Memphis at New Orleans, 7:30 p.m., TNT
• BASKETBALL: Gardner-Webb at North Carolina, 8 p.m., ACCN
• BASKETBALL: Florida International at N.C. State, 9 p.m., BALLY SOUTH
• BASKETBALL: Duke vs. Kansas, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
• NBA: Brooklyn at Sacramento, 10 p.m., TNT
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com.
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