Although we should stress that we haven’t seen anything official about this, there have been a lot of posts over the last 24 hours or so suggesting that Duke and Kansas will have an exhibition game in Allen Fieldhouse this fall. And the following year, that favor will reportedly be returned with a trip to Cameron by the Jayhawks.
Again, we haven’t seen any official news about this, but if it’s true, it’s exciting for both sides.
Advertisement
For one, Duke and Kansas tend to have good, high-level games. Bill Self is a masterful coach and Jon Scheyer has firmly established himself as one of the rising stars in the game.
And for another, there’s just the level of history involved. We Duke fans are justifiably proud of our tradition, which goes back a lot further than most people realize. From Dick Groat to Vic Bubas to Bill Foster to Coach K to Scheyer, Duke has competed near the top of the sport for the better part of a century.
But Kansas goes back even farther. James Naismith himself coached there. Phog Allen coached there, as did Larry Brown, Ol’ Roy Williams, and Self. Wilt Chamberlain played there. So did Danny Manning, JoJo White, and a host of other elites. Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp got their starts there.
Clearly, Kansas has a unique place in basketball history.
Advertisement
And then there’s the battle of the arenas. Allen Fieldhouse and Cameron are generally ranked #1 and #1A, and the rankings flip back and forth depending on who you ask. Playing there is going to be a privilege. It’s also going to be deeply challenging for a young team in the earliest part of the season, because KU fans will have a point to make.
Best of all, it looks like the Jayhawks will return the favor next year and come to Cameron for a dose of Craziness, and we can press our case then, too.
One of the things that Scheyer does not get enough credit for is playing anyone, anywhere, anytime. His scheduling is extremely aggressive, and we love it, and most of all that he’s willing to go into very difficult arenas. More, please.
Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line
