Kansas vs. Duke Tabbed as Nonconference Matchup to Watch by ESPN

After faltering through Big 12 play, and finishing the regular season with a (by Kansas’ standard) subpar 21-12 record, the Jayhawks still earned a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament, in large part thanks to an early-season win over Duke. 

The Blue Devils – who were a one seed in the Big Dance – had suffered just three losses during the regular season and were ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll heading into March Madness. Without Kansas’ win over Duke, the Jayhawks likely would’ve been sweating it out for an at-large bid.

Hopefully, during the 2025-26 campaign, if all things go to plan, Kansas won’t need a Duke win to get into the NCAA Tournament, instead the Jayhawks will simply want one to pad their resume. 

Either way, this year’s November 18th matchup between the pair of blueblood programs figures to hold weight months later in March, but it also serves as a showdown between each squad’s premier freshman in Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson – who were McDonald’s All-American Co-MVPs this April.