How No. 17 Kentucky and No. 1 Kansas match up — with a game prediction

How the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) and the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (2-0) match up at each position for Tuesday’s State Farm Champions Classic — with a game prediction:

Small forward

▪ Kentucky freshman Justin Edwards (14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 52.4% field goals, 25% 3-pointers) had 16 points and seven rebounds in UK’s 81-61 victory against Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday night. The 6-foot-8, 203-pound Philadelphia product was the No. 3-rated prospect in the Rivals 150 for the class of 2023. Against a veteran Kansas front line, how Edwards responds to the Jayhawks’ physicality could be a big key for UK.

▪ Kansas super-senior Kevin McCullar (18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 61.9% FGs, 41.7% 3s) went through Senior Night ceremonies last season, entered the NBA draft and attended the draft combine — before then deciding to return to KU. In the Jayhawks’ 77-68 win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena in last season’s SEC/Big 12 Challenge, McCullar had 11 points and 12 rebounds. The San Antonio native began his college career at Texas Tech and played for the Red Raiders against UK in the 2019-20 SEC/Big 12 Challenge. McCullar scored six points in Kentucky’s 76-74 overtime win over Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Advantage: Kansas.

Power forward

▪ Kentucky’s Adou Thiero (5.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 33.3% FGs) missed Friday’s game against Texas A&M-Commerce while in concussion protocol. Whether the 6-8, 222-pound sophomore from Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, can go in the Champions Classic shapes up as an important question because one would think UK needs Thiero’s rebounding prowess against a physical Kansas front line. Thiero did not play in UK’s loss to KU last season at Rupp Arena.

▪ Kansas junior KJ Adams (13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 81.3% FGs (13 of 16) has made 10 of 12 shots combined in two prior games against Kentucky. In the Jayhawks’ victory over the Wildcats last season, Adams, a 6-7, 235-pound product of Austin, Texas, had 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting and had two rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Advantage: Kansas.

Center

▪ Kentucky super-senior Tre Mitchell (13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 57.9% FGs, 20% 3s, 2.0 steals) has extensive history against Kansas from having played previously for two of the Jayhawks’ Big 12 rivals. Last season at West Virginia, the 6-9, 231-pound Pittsburgh product faced KU three times, all WVU losses, and averaged 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds versus Bill Self’s team. Playing for Texas in 2021-22, Mitchell faced Kansas once, scoring 17 points with eight rebounds and four assists in a 79-76 Longhorns win. With UK’s front-court depth thinned by injuries plus the wait for an eligibility ruling from the NCAA, it will be vital that Mitchell avoids foul trouble.

▪ Former Michigan star Hunter Dickinson was considered by many the top player in the transfer portal this offseason, and Kansas won out for him over Kentucky, among other college hoops blue bloods. The 7-2, 260-pound Dickinson is averaging 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 blocks through two games. Last season, in Michigan’s 73-69 loss to Kentucky in London, England, Dickinson went for 23 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.

Advantage: Kansas.

Shooting guard

▪ Kentucky super-senior Antonio Reeves (16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 50% FGs, 50% 3s, 50% FTs) is returning to his hometown of Chicago to play in the Champions Classic. “A thrill. A dream come true,” Reeves said of his homecoming. In UK’s loss to KU last season in Lexington, the 6-6, 195-pound Reeves had 10 points, two rebounds and three assists.

▪ Kansas freshman Elmarko Jackson (8.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 54.5% FGs) was a 2023 McDonald’s All-America selection and was ranked the No. 25 prospect in the Rivals 150. A 6-3, 195-pound product of Marlton, New Jersey, Jackson just missed a double-double in KU’s 99-61 win over Manhattan on Friday with nine points and 10 assists. He was a team-best plus-34 in that game.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Point guard

▪ Kentucky freshman D.J. Wagner (12.0 points, 3.5 assists, 42.3% FGs, 16.7% 3s) has seven assists versus only two turnovers in his first two college games. The 6-4, 192-pound Wagner is 1 of 6 so far from 3-point range and it seems likely Kansas will defend Kentucky in such a way that it forces the Camden, New Jersey, product to show he can make jump shots. Wagner was the No. 6 high school prospect in the 2023 Rivals 150.

▪ Kansas redshirt senior Dajuan Harris (1.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 33.3% FGs) played 25 minutes in KU’s 99-56 season-opening win over North Carolina Central and doled out 10 assists while not taking one shot. The 6-2, 170-pound product of Columbia, Missouri, will be playing Kentucky for the fourth time in his college career. In Harris’ three prior games versus UK, he has averaged 5.3 points and 5.7 assists.

Advantage: Even.

Bench

▪ Kentucky freshman guard Rob Dillingham (14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 41.7% FGs, 25% treys) got his first career start in place of a sidelined Adou Thiero and scored 12 points in UK’s win over Texas A&M-Commerce. … UK freshman Reed Sheppard (7.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 45.5% FGs) has impressed so far with his ballhawking and moxie. … At 6-9, 202 pounds, freshman forward Jordan Burks (3.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 75% FGs) is the only front-court reserve expected to be available for Kentucky on Tuesday.

▪ Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy (10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 57.1% FGs, 45.5% 3s) is one of the more intriguing players in college basketball in 2023-24. The 6-9, 202-pound product of Melbourne, Australia, considers himself a guard and boasts a flashy playing style. … A 6-10, 235-pound super-senior who transferred from Santa Clara, Parker Braun (10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 90% FGs on 9-for-10 shooting) is the older brother of ex-KU standout Christian Braun. … Nicolas Timberlake (7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 55.6% FGs, 42.9% 3s) is a 6-4, 195-pound super-senior who transferred from Towson. The Braintree, Massachusetts, product shot over 40% on 3-pointers in each of the prior two seasons and was one of the most coveted long-range marksmen available this offseason in the transfer portal.

Advantage: Kansas.

Intangibles and history

▪ Kentucky leads the all-time series with Kansas 24-11, but the Jayhawks have won five of the past seven meetings.

▪ John Calipari is 5-5 as Kentucky’s head coach versus Kansas. Bill Self is 8-5 as Kansas coach against Kentucky and is 8-6 overall against the Wildcats.

▪ Kansas and Kentucky have gone 2-2 against each other in the Champions Classic. Kentucky won 75-65 in 2011-12 and 72-40 in 2014-15. Kansas won 65-61 in 2017-18 and 65-62 in 2020-21.

▪ Overall, Kansas is 7-5 in the Champions Classic, while Kentucky is 5-7.

▪ Kentucky and Kansas are the two winningest programs in men’s college basketball history. Entering play Tuesday, the Wildcats officially hold a 2,377-2,372 advantage over the Jayhawks.

Advantage: Even.

Prediction

Kansas 79, Kentucky 71.

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