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Tuesday, November 9
New York City
9:30 P.M.
Duke University
vs
Kentucky
Duke, Kentucky Tip Off Season with Top-10 Showdown Tuesday
11/6/2021 7:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OPENING TIP
DUKE-KENTUCKY HISTORY
Two of the four winningest programs in NCAA history, Duke and Kentucky have met 22 times with UK leading 12-10 … The recent history has favored the Blue Devils, with Duke winning eight of the last 10 meetings … In the Champions Classic, the Blue Devils have won two of the three matchups -- UK won, 74-63, in 2015 in Chicago; while Duke won, 75-68, in Atlanta in 2012 and 118-84 in Indianapolis in 2018 …Coach K is 6-2 versus Kentucky … Duke has opened a season three previous times versus Kentucky and won all three -- 82-76 in overtime on Nov. 17, 1979 (Tipoff Classic in Springfield, Mass.), 80-55 on Nov. 19, 1988 (Tipoff Classic in Springfield, Mass.) and 118-84 on Nov. 6, 2018 (Champions Classic in Indianapolis).
DUKE IN THE CHAMPIONS CLASSIC
As the Champions Classic enters its 11th year, the Blue Devils are looking to continue their success in the early-season marquee event that brings together Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State …  Duke's 6-4 record is the best of the four, leading Kentucky (5-5), Kansas (5-5) and Michigan State (4-6) … The Spartans knocked off the Blue Devils, 75-69, last year in an empty Cameron Indoor Stadium despite a 21-13 double-double from Matthew Hurt, snapping Duke's three-game Champions winning streak … Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the individual institution's safety protocols, the Duke-MSU game was played in Durham, while Kansas-Kentucky was played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis … The last Champions game in the Garden saw Duke clip Kansas, 68-66 in 2019.
CHAMPIONS CLASSIC: TOP-10 MATCHUPS
The Champions Classic will see its 14th AP top 10 matchup Tuesday night when No. 9 Duke battles No. 10 Kentucky … Duke has played in eight of the 13 previous occurrences (4-4), with Kansas 4-2, Kentucky 3-4 and Michigan State 2-3.
ON THIS DATE
Duke has played twice previously on November 9 -- both season-opening victories at Cameron Indoor Stadium … In 2007, the Blue Devils defeated NC Central, 121-56, and knocked off Georgia State, 74-55, in 2012.
DUKE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Tuesday's game at Madison Square Garden marks Duke's 57th game at current MSG, and the Blue Devils are 38-18 in the venue (33-11 under Mike Krzyzewski) … Duke has won four straight and five of its last six at the World's Most Famous Arena … Duke is 44-25 in all versions of MSG, dating back to a February 4, 1938, game versus St. John's … Duke has played at least once at MSG in eight of the last nine seasons, in 18 of the last 20, and 21 of the last 24 … Duke is 72-27 in 99 games all-time in the greater NYC area, including contests in Brooklyn (7-1) and East Rutherford, N.J. (21-1) … Current MSG has seen the sixth-most Duke wins (38) of any venue in the country, behind only Cameron Indoor Stadium, Greensboro Coliseum, Reynolds Coliseum, and former Duke home venues Card Gym and Duke Gym.
DUKE IN NBA ARENAS
For a college team that has produced 21 current NBA players, Duke has been tough to beat when playing in NBA venues … Duke is a combined 87-30 (.743) in 11 current NBA venues, which includes a 38-18 mark at Madison Square Garden … The Blue Devils have won 16 of their last 19 at NBA venues, including a 118-84 win over Kentucky at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in the 2018 Champions Classic, going 3-0 in the 2019 ACC Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, and a win over Virginia Tech in the 2019 Sweet 16 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
COACH K AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Coach K has achieved a pair of milestones at MSG: His 903rd career victory to pass Bobby Knight as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history (74-69 vs. Michigan State, 11/15/11) and his 1,000th career (77-68 vs. St. John's, 1/25/15) … Tuesday marks his 45th career game coaching at MSG, where he has won 75 percent of his visits (33-11) … In his Duke career, Coach K has only coached more games at Cameron Indoor Stadium (630) and Greensboro Coliseum (72) than the 44 at MSG … Krzyzewski played five times at MSG as a guard on Army West Point teams coached by Bobby Knight. The Black Knights were 0-1 at the Garden in 1968 and 2-2 during his senior year in which he was a captain to claim fourth place in the NIT.Â
DUKE IN SEASON OPENERS
The Blue Devils are 39-2 in season openers under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and have won 21 consecutive … Duke is 3-0 versus Kentucky in season openers.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Duke begins a five-game homestand by hosting the Duke Veterans Day Weekend Showcase presented by Ameritas -- Nov. 12-13 at Cameron Indoor Stadium … On Nov. 12, Duke vs. Army at 7 p.m. is preceded at 1:30 by Campbell vs. Hartford. On Nov 13, Duke vs. Campbell at 8 p.m. ET is preceded at 2:30 by Army vs. Hartford … Mike Krzyzewski is a 1969 graduate of Army.
#GoDuke
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- The ninth-ranked Duke men's basketball team opens the program's 117th season with a marquee showdown versus 10th-ranked Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic on Tuesday in New York City.
- The game tips at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN with Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Holly Rowe on the call. On the radio locally, David Shumate and John Roth call the action on the Blue Devil Sports Network from Learfield, while Marc Kestecher and Bob Valvano are nationally on ESPN Radio.
- A match-up between two of the four winningest programs in NCAA history, Duke has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Kentucky and is 6-2 versus the Wildcats under Mike Krzyzewski.
- The Blue Devils' 6-4 record in the 10-year history of the Champions Classic is the best of the four Blue Bloods, followed by Kentucky and Kansas (each 5-5) and Michigan State (4-6).
- Madison Square Garden has long been a home away from home for the Blue Devils as Duke's all-time record at the current version of MSG stands at 38-18, including 33-11 under Coach K.
- Tuesday's game marks Duke's 100th all-time when playing in the greater NYC area (72-27, .727). That includes 43-25 in NYC, 7-1 in Brooklyn and 21-1 in East Rutherford, N.J.
- Duke was picked as the preseason favorite in the ACC, with freshman Paolo Banchero tapped the ACC's Preseason Player and Freshman of the Year. Banchero (first team), Wendell Moore Jr. and Mark Williams (second team), were each named Preseason All-ACC.
- Senior Joey Baker and junior Wendell Moore Jr., will serve as the team's captains for the 2021-22 season.
- The 2021-22 campaign marks the 42nd season at Duke for Hall of Fame Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, where he has won 1,097 games and five national championships. Entering his 47th season overall, Coach K is the winningest coach in D-I history with 1,170 victories.
- Tuesday marks Coach K's 1,400th game as Duke's head coach.
- Duke, which finished last season 13-11 overall and 9-9 in the ACC, played each of its home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium and a majority of its road games with no fans due to the pandemic.
- Duke is set for its first regular season game with fans at Cameron Indoor Stadium in 616 days when it welcomes Coach K's alma mater Army West Point on Friday, Nov. 12.
DUKE-KENTUCKY HISTORY
Two of the four winningest programs in NCAA history, Duke and Kentucky have met 22 times with UK leading 12-10 … The recent history has favored the Blue Devils, with Duke winning eight of the last 10 meetings … In the Champions Classic, the Blue Devils have won two of the three matchups -- UK won, 74-63, in 2015 in Chicago; while Duke won, 75-68, in Atlanta in 2012 and 118-84 in Indianapolis in 2018 …Coach K is 6-2 versus Kentucky … Duke has opened a season three previous times versus Kentucky and won all three -- 82-76 in overtime on Nov. 17, 1979 (Tipoff Classic in Springfield, Mass.), 80-55 on Nov. 19, 1988 (Tipoff Classic in Springfield, Mass.) and 118-84 on Nov. 6, 2018 (Champions Classic in Indianapolis).
DUKE IN THE CHAMPIONS CLASSIC
As the Champions Classic enters its 11th year, the Blue Devils are looking to continue their success in the early-season marquee event that brings together Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State …  Duke's 6-4 record is the best of the four, leading Kentucky (5-5), Kansas (5-5) and Michigan State (4-6) … The Spartans knocked off the Blue Devils, 75-69, last year in an empty Cameron Indoor Stadium despite a 21-13 double-double from Matthew Hurt, snapping Duke's three-game Champions winning streak … Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the individual institution's safety protocols, the Duke-MSU game was played in Durham, while Kansas-Kentucky was played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis … The last Champions game in the Garden saw Duke clip Kansas, 68-66 in 2019.
CHAMPIONS CLASSIC: TOP-10 MATCHUPS
The Champions Classic will see its 14th AP top 10 matchup Tuesday night when No. 9 Duke battles No. 10 Kentucky … Duke has played in eight of the 13 previous occurrences (4-4), with Kansas 4-2, Kentucky 3-4 and Michigan State 2-3.
ON THIS DATE
Duke has played twice previously on November 9 -- both season-opening victories at Cameron Indoor Stadium … In 2007, the Blue Devils defeated NC Central, 121-56, and knocked off Georgia State, 74-55, in 2012.
DUKE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Tuesday's game at Madison Square Garden marks Duke's 57th game at current MSG, and the Blue Devils are 38-18 in the venue (33-11 under Mike Krzyzewski) … Duke has won four straight and five of its last six at the World's Most Famous Arena … Duke is 44-25 in all versions of MSG, dating back to a February 4, 1938, game versus St. John's … Duke has played at least once at MSG in eight of the last nine seasons, in 18 of the last 20, and 21 of the last 24 … Duke is 72-27 in 99 games all-time in the greater NYC area, including contests in Brooklyn (7-1) and East Rutherford, N.J. (21-1) … Current MSG has seen the sixth-most Duke wins (38) of any venue in the country, behind only Cameron Indoor Stadium, Greensboro Coliseum, Reynolds Coliseum, and former Duke home venues Card Gym and Duke Gym.
DUKE IN NBA ARENAS
For a college team that has produced 21 current NBA players, Duke has been tough to beat when playing in NBA venues … Duke is a combined 87-30 (.743) in 11 current NBA venues, which includes a 38-18 mark at Madison Square Garden … The Blue Devils have won 16 of their last 19 at NBA venues, including a 118-84 win over Kentucky at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in the 2018 Champions Classic, going 3-0 in the 2019 ACC Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, and a win over Virginia Tech in the 2019 Sweet 16 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
COACH K AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Coach K has achieved a pair of milestones at MSG: His 903rd career victory to pass Bobby Knight as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history (74-69 vs. Michigan State, 11/15/11) and his 1,000th career (77-68 vs. St. John's, 1/25/15) … Tuesday marks his 45th career game coaching at MSG, where he has won 75 percent of his visits (33-11) … In his Duke career, Coach K has only coached more games at Cameron Indoor Stadium (630) and Greensboro Coliseum (72) than the 44 at MSG … Krzyzewski played five times at MSG as a guard on Army West Point teams coached by Bobby Knight. The Black Knights were 0-1 at the Garden in 1968 and 2-2 during his senior year in which he was a captain to claim fourth place in the NIT.Â
DUKE IN SEASON OPENERS
The Blue Devils are 39-2 in season openers under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and have won 21 consecutive … Duke is 3-0 versus Kentucky in season openers.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Duke begins a five-game homestand by hosting the Duke Veterans Day Weekend Showcase presented by Ameritas -- Nov. 12-13 at Cameron Indoor Stadium … On Nov. 12, Duke vs. Army at 7 p.m. is preceded at 1:30 by Campbell vs. Hartford. On Nov 13, Duke vs. Campbell at 8 p.m. ET is preceded at 2:30 by Army vs. Hartford … Mike Krzyzewski is a 1969 graduate of Army.
#GoDuke
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