Duke Blows Out Kentucky 118-84 In Season Opener

Fourth ranked Duke took on #2 Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic in Indianapolis on November 6th as the NCAA college basketball season got underway. The Blue Devils lost a ton of talent to graduation and the NBA, but Duke being Duke, the program brought in five highly regarded freshmen this season. Four of them started in the opener against Kentucky, maybe not the ideal way to begin a college career, but this matchup is always eagerly anticipated whenever these two storied teams get together.

The freshmen were more than ready, putting up big numbers as the Blue Devils beat the Wildcats 118-84. Duke got on the board first and never trailed; in fact, it was rarely close. Freshman R.J. Barrett hit a three pointer with 11:11 left in the first half to give Duke a 32-11 lead; the Blue Devils led 59-42 at halftime. Actually, both teams scored that many points in the second half as well for a 118-84 Duke win.

As for the freshman starters, Barrett led the team in scoring with 33 points, Zion Williamson had 28, and Cam Reddish had 22. Guard Tre Jones had six, and led the team with seven assists. the fifth starter, junior center Marques Bolden, added six points. Kentucky’s scoring was also led by a freshman, guard Keldon Johnson, who scored 23.