Duke basketball vs. Kansas: Scouting report, prediction for Champions Classic

Duke basketball will get its first real test of the season in a matchup of blue bloods in Indianapolis.

After two blowout wins against mid-major programs, No. 7 Duke (2-0) will face No. 5 Kansas, the defending NCAA champions, in the Champions Classic on Tuesday (9:30 p.m., ESPN) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Here is what you need to know:

Historically good defense

Yes, Duke hasn’t exactly played world beaters in its first two games with wins over Jacksonville (71-44) and USC Upstate (84-38). With that said, the Blue Devils’ defensive performance has been historically notable.

The 82 combined points is the fewest allowed in the first two games since 1946, and against USC Upstate, they turned 23 turnovers into 39 points. Four Duke players had multiple steals with freshman Tyrese Proctor leading the team with three.

Win over Jacksonville:Duke basketball ushers in Jon Scheyer era with win over Jacksonville

Gradey Dick vs. Derek Lively II

Last season, an early Duke vs. Gonzaga matchup gave us a battle between star-studded freshman Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren – a duo that would go 1-2 in the 2022 NBA Draft.

This time, the battle between potential first-round picks will be between Kansas freshman guard Gradey Dick and Duke freshman center Derek Lively II.

Coming off a right calf injury that kept him out of the season opener, Lively played 15 minutes against USC Upstate and finished with a modest stat line of four points, two blocks, two rebounds, a steal and two turnovers.

“Really happy with Dereck being able to play 15 minutes,” Scheyer said last week. “His biggest thing is just getting back in game shape. You know, he has a live body. Got those dunks running the floor. That's something he can really do, and it allows us to play very fast.”

Dick took 13 shots in Kansas’ season-opening win, making nine of them and finishing with a game-high 23 points, two rebounds and two steals. The 6-foot-8 McDonald's All-American made four of the six 3-pointers and then added 12 points in an 82-59 win over North Dakota State.

First glimpse:Duke basketball offers first glimpse of Dereck Lively II before Kansas showdown

Beginning of the Scheyer era:What to watch for as the Jon Scheyer era begins for Duke basketball

Inexperienced Jayhawks

Like the Blue Devils, who lost five of their top six scores to the NBA Draft, Kansas entered the season without several of the players that led the Jayhawks to a 72-69 national title win over UNC.

Kansas lost Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, David McCormack, Remy Martin, Mitch Lightfoot and Jalen Coleman-Lands, but added Dick, Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar Jr., and freshmen 6-5 wing MJ Rice, 6-10 forward Ernest Udeh Jr and 6-8 forward Zuby Ejiofor.

Kansas still doesn’t know exactly what it has, which is why these early season top 10 tests are so important for national title contenders.

The Jayhawks will also be without coach Bill Self against the Blue Devils after Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend were suspended four games for their part in recruiting infractions stemming from the 2017 FBI investigation into college basketball corruption. Kansas is 2-6 without Self.

Duke vs. Kansas score prediction

Duke 71, Kansas 65: This will be the first real test for two young teams with championship aspirations and Jon Scheyer’s first game coaching on a national stage. Duke has proven to have considerable depth at the start of the season and the return of Lively in the interior will push them past the Jayhawks.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball vs. Kansas: Scouting report, prediction