ESPN predicts the winner between Kentucky and Duke

Will Mark Pope get his first signature win as Kentucky's coach on Tuesday?

Nov 9, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with forward Brandon Garrison (10) during the second half against the Bucknell Bison at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

On Saturday, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats got their second win of the season in blowout fashion over Bucknell as the Wildcats won 100-72. Now that the Wildcats have had a couple of get-right games, it is time to do it against an elite team, and that team is the Duke Blue Devils.

Duke is the #7 team in college hoops, and with their elite young talent, they are considered one of the teams with the highest upside this season. This game gives the Kentucky Wildcats an opportunity to prove that they are, in fact, one of the best teams in college basketball, and Coach Pope's system is no joke.

While Kentucky fans have a lot of confidence heading into this game ESPN does not share that same confidence in the Wildcats. ESPN gives Kentucky a 29.3% chance to take down Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic on Tuesday.

This game will be played in Atlanta, and last season, when the Wildcats played North Carolina in Atlanta, the crowd was packed full. It was split 50/50 between UNC and Kentucky fans, and that will likely be the case in this game with BBN and Duke fans.

This stage is going to be really bright for the young Duke freshman, but Kentucky's team has played in big moments like this. Duke and freshman phenom Cooper Flagg are going to be ready to play, so the Wildcats need to bring it to the Peach State. This game gives Kentucky a great opportunity to prove that they are going to have a special season.