Bill Self Explains Why Kansas Scheduled Duke and Louisville for Preseason Exhibition
Kansas will face two of college basketball’s marquee programs before the regular season even begins, and head coach Bill Self believes those exhibition matchups will benefit both his team and the fan base.
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The Jayhawks will host Louisville on Oct. 21 before welcoming Duke to Allen Fieldhouse on Oct. 25 as part of the newly announced Blue Blood Classic. Combined with an Oct. 16 exhibition against Pittsburg State during Late Night in the Phog, Kansas will play the maximum three preseason exhibitions allowed under NCAA rules.
For Self, the opportunity to bring nationally recognized opponents to Allen Fieldhouse was too good to pass up.
“I think if you get a chance to play Duke at home in a unique way that’s set up, and then us actually go back to their place next year, I personally think it’s great,” Self said.
The Blue Blood Classic will continue in October 2027 when Kansas travels to Cameron Indoor Stadium. The return trip is particularly notable because Self has previously described coaching at Duke’s historic home arena as a bucket-list experience.
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Self also believes the preseason schedule adds excitement for supporters before the games begin to count in November.
“I think from a fan standpoint, getting Louisville and Duke at home definitely adds to the attraction of our schedule immediately,” Self said.
While neither exhibition will affect Kansas’ regular-season record, Self expects both games to provide valuable experience for a roster that has undergone significant offseason changes.
“Those two games aren’t the biggest games on our schedule by any means,” Self said. “But the appearance of having them that early in the season, I think people will be pretty amped up to watch them.”
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Kansas opens its exhibition slate against Pittsburg State during the revamped Late Night in the Phog on Oct. 16 before hosting Louisville and Duke over the following nine days.
The Jayhawks officially begin the 2026-27 regular season on Nov. 2 when they host Fordham at Allen Fieldhouse, but Self believes the challenging exhibition schedule will provide an early test for a team looking to establish itself before the games start to count.
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