Kentucky basketball will beat Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic

Making the case for why Kentucky will beat Duke in Atlanta.

University of Kentucky’s new men’s basketball coach Mark Pope applauds as Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart introduces him to the thousands of fans in Rupp Arena for his press conference on Sunday, April 14, 2024. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the most challenging games of the non-conference slate for the Kentucky Wildcats is when they head to Atlanta, Georgia, to take on the Duke Blue Devils in the State Farm Champions Classic.

The last time Kentucky played in Atlanta, they took down North Carolina in a thriller. Now, Mark Pope will try to get his Kentucky career going with a bang.

The issue with this matchup against Duke is that this is one of the most talented college basketball teams we have seen in a long time. This class is highlighted by Cooper Flagg, who projects to be the number one player in taken in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Flagg recently practiced with the Team USA Olympic team made up of players like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry, but the college freshman was holding his own.

When it comes to talent and NBA upside, Duke has the advantage by a wide margin, but that isn't always what wins games in college, as Kentucky fans learned during the Calipari era.

Kentucky's team is full of veteran players who have all played under the bright lights of March Madness, and big games like this one in Atlanta will be.

This gives Kentucky an advantage, knowing it will be an early game on the schedule for both teams being played on November 12th.

While the Blue Devils have the advantage in talent, the Wildcats have the advantage in experience, and sometimes, in games like this, that can be the difference maker. The Kentucky Wildcats will take down the Duke Blue Devils in Atlanta in what will be one of the best games of the college basketball season.