Live Game Thread & Updates for Kansas Basketball vs. Duke in Blue Blood Classic

Caleb Foster, Melvin Council Jr.
Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) is guarded by Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coming off an exhibition loss to Louisville, Kansas is set to wrap up its preseason schedule with another home matchup. This time, the No. 2-ranked Duke Blue Devils are coming to Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since 1988, albeit in a game that doesn't count toward either team's record.

The contest falls at a rather inconvenient time, as it overlaps with the start of the NFL's 12 p.m. Sunday slate. But if you can't be bothered to watch all 40 minutes, don't worry! Here at Kansas on SI, we'll be providing nonstop updates throughout the afternoon to keep you up to date on every score change and significant development.

Kansas vs. Duke Live Score Updates

Dame Sarr
Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Dame Sarr (7) goes to the basket against the Kansas Jayhawks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First Half

Pregame: Purdue transfer Trey Kaufman-Renn remains inactive for this contest as he ramps back up to game speed. Some big names in Allen Fieldhouse this afternoon, including Roy Williams. Starting five for the Jayhawks: Leroy Blyden Jr., Melvin Council Jr., Tre White, Tyran Stokes, and Christian Reeves.

19:55: Right off the tip, the ball was tipped to Patrick Ngongba and resulted in an easy layup to start the scoring. Duke leads, 2-0.

18:50:The Blue Devils jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, but a Tre White mid-range jumper and one free throw made by Melvin Council Jr. gets the Jayhawks going. Duke leads, 5-3.

17:33: Christian Reeves is off to a strong start, cleaning up a 3-point miss from Leroy Blyden for two second-chance points. Blyden followed that up with a nifty move in the mid range for his first points of the afternoon. Kansas leads, 9-6.

16:03: Good sign to see Tyran Stokes getting something going from beyond the arc. He connected on his first three of the day after missing all of his attempts from long range last game. Stokes almost had his second on a trailing fast-break three but overshot it. Two free throws from Dame Sarr make this a one-point game. Kansas leads, 12-11.

15:33: Reeves has to polish his putback attempts, but he's absolutely dominating the offensive glass right now. He is up to three offensive boards in four minutes played. Council will shoot a pair at the charity stripe after the TV timeout. Kansas leads, 12-11.

14:11: The first subs of the game for KU are Taylen Kinney and Paul Mbiya. A missed floater by Kinney allowed Duke an easy dunk on the other end. Kansas and Duke are tied, 13-3.

13:16: Play of the game so far comes on a lob pass from Stokes to Tre White, who trailed the baseline for an easy dunk. Stokes' playmaking continues to shine early in his collegiate career, regardless of his shooting struggles. Kansas and Duke are tied, 15-15.

11:36: The KU offense has gone cold over the past few minutes. There don't appear to be many sources of offense outside of White and Stokes. Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje almost broke free for an alley-oop but a smart foul broke it up. Dukeleads, 20-15.

10:53: Not a great start for Kinney, who is 0-for-5 from the field across a handful of minutes. Duke responded with a three after a Blyden layup cut the deficit to three points. Duke leads, 23-17.

10:19: Bill Self takes a frustration timeout after Ngongba slipped free for an easy dunk under the rim. Not quite sure what Christian Reeves was thinking there. The Jayhawks as a team are shooting 33% from the field, so defensive lapses won't cut it. Duke leads, 25-17.

9:50: John Blackwell's second three of the afternoon gives the Blue Devils an 11-point lead, their largest of the day. Duke leads, 28-17.

7:58: There's undoubtedly a home-team friendly whistle early on, as the Jayhawks have been given a few breaks. It's been another rough start for Stokes, who is 1-for-4 from the field with a pair of turnovers. Duke leads, 31-21.

6:57: After a pair of free throws, Stokes cleaned up a Melvin Council miss with a second-chance layup. Let's see if the freshman can build on this momentum. Duke leads, 33-25.

5:32: Allen Fieldhouse nearly went into a frenzy as Council led a fast-break off a turnover, but he turned it over and gave it back to the Blue Devils. Still, KU is closing the gap and can hopefully making this a closer contest by the end of the half. Duke leads, 33-27.

3:53: Following five consecutive misses for Kinney, the Jayhawk freshman hits a couple of jumpers to kick-start the offense. Davion Adkins is off the bench for the first time since the opening exhibition and will head to the free throw line after the final TV timeout before halftime. Duke leads, 38-32.

2:24: We have a tie game in Lawrence. Trailing by as many as 11, Kansas has stormed back to knot this score at 40 apiece thanks to a 3-pointer by Keanu Dawes. Taylen Kinney and Tyran Stokes have spearheaded this comeback. Kansas and Duke are tied, 40-40.

1:28: A crafty finish at the rim for freshman Trent Perry gives the Jayhawks the lead. The Phog is absolutely rocking. Kansas leads, 42-41.

0:00: The Jayhawks close out the half on an 18-8 run. Big energy boost from Perry off the bench. Kansas leads 45-43 at halftime.

First Half Top Performers

  • Tyran Stokes: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 6-for-8 free-throw shooting
  • Taylen Kinney: 7 points, 1 assist, 3-for-8 field-goal shooting
  • Christian Reeves: 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks

Second Half

19:02: Duke gets off to a strong start to the half and retakes the lead with a Ngongba layup. Jayhawks need a jolt of energy from someone before this lead begins to grow. Dukeleads, 47-45.

17:49: A three from Stokes and a mid-range jumper from Council briefly allowed KU to grab the lead again, but Duke snatches it right back with a pair of free throws from Blackwell. That's two threes now for Stokes on five tries. Duke leads, 51-50.

15:22: Both teams going back and forth now. It's a tight one here in Lawrence. Kinney has now made five of his last seven field goal attempts since coming up empty on his first five shots. Duke leads, 58-57.

14:21: Just like that, we're tied again after a Dennis Parker Jr. three in the corner. Much cleaner basketball from both offenses this half. Kansas and Duke are tied, 60-60.

13:44: A three from Dawes at the top of the key, his second of the afternoon, puts KU in front. Much better performance from the Utah transfer today. Kansas leads, 63-60.

11:38: Oh my! Dawes just finished an and-1 alley-oop that was probably the best highlight we've seen from a Jayhawk in this exhibition slate. He has serious bounce. He'll head to the line to complete the traditional three-point play after the TV timeout. Kansas leads, 67-64.

10:42: Boumtje Boumtje is quite the player. After Dawes completed the and-1, JBB just connected on a go-ahead three at the top of the arc to give the Blue Devils the lead back. Duke leads, 69-68.

9:42: Duke forward Sebastian Wilkins just baptized Kinney under the rim for a nasty poster dunk. He answered for his team after Dawes' emphatic slam. Have to give credit where credit is due. Duke leads, 73-68.

8:47: You've got to love what you're seeing from Trent Perry if you're a Kansas fan. Stokes found him under the rim on an excellent cut for an easy layup. The freshman from Link Academy is raw, but his slashing ability is undeniable. Duke leads, 73-71.

7:53: It's a four-point game with a little under eight to play. Kansas has done enough to stay in it but is getting outmuscled in the paint, leading to extra opportunities for Duke. Dukeleads, 77-73.

6:49: Tre White has had a quiet day, but he just ignited the crowd with a huge three. One-point game with Dame Sarr heading to the foul line. Duke leads, 77-76.

5:21: A wild sequence of turnovers and missed shots results in a squandered opportunity for the Jayhawks. The rollercoaster ride of Melvin Council Jr. has persisted today. Duke leads, 81-76.

3:32: Kansas hasn't scored a point in over three minutes, and Duke is quickly pulling away in this one. A lot of ugly offensive possessions and second-chance points for the Blue Devils have given them a clear path to victory. Barring a miracle, Duke will likely emerge victorious today. Duke leads, 83-76.

Kansas Jayhawks students cheer
Feb 9, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks students cheer after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How to Watch Kansas vs. Duke

Time:12 p.m. CT
Channel:ESPN
Link:Watch ESPN

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Live Game Thread & Updates for Kansas Basketball vs. Duke in Blue Blood Classic.