Duke Basketball Beats Kansas 90-84: Ngongba, Stokes Shine in Blue Blood Exhibition

Duke basketball survives the Phog and closes its preseason

Duke basketball left Lawrence with a 90-84 exhibition victory over Kansas on Sunday, Oct. 25, in the State Farm Blue Blood Classic at Allen Fieldhouse. The final is confirmed by Kansas Athletics’ completed-game listing and official box score, and the matchup was the second-ranked Blue Devils’ final preseason contest. Because it was an exhibition, the result does not change either team’s official regular-season record. ^{[1] [2] [4]}

Kansas had the halftime edge, 45-43, after a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes. The Jayhawks briefly built a second-half lead, but Duke responded with a decisive 9-0 burst and then another 11-0 stretch as Kansas tried to close the gap. The Blue Devils’ ability to finish possessions at the line mattered: Duke converted 27 of 33 free throws, compared with Kansas’ 18-for-27. ^{[1] [2]}

Patrick Ngongba II powered Duke with 28 points on 9-for-12 shooting, 10 rebounds and four assists. John Blackwell added 23 points, including four three-pointers, while Dame Sarr scored 12. Duke won the rebounding battle 43-30 and made nine threes; the Jayhawks stayed close with 14 assists and eight made threes, but the margin at the stripe and on the glass tilted the finish toward the visitors. ^{[1] [2]}

Tyran Stokes gave Kansas a standout response, producing 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 37 minutes. Taylen Kinney supplied 14 points off the bench and Keanu Dawes added 11, while Tre White was limited to nine points in 23 minutes. Independent Kansas coverage noted that Duke’s late run proved the difference in an otherwise lively game, and that the Jayhawks’ young roster still has useful tape from a high-level test before the season begins. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

A preseason preview of a rivalry chapter still to come

The result continues a run of high-profile Duke-Kansas meetings, but this one was a tune-up rather than a regular-season statement: Kansas entered the game ranked No. 17 and Duke No. 2 in the preseason listings. Both schools described the contest as an exhibition, and their announced Blue Blood Classic arrangement brings the teams back together in October 2027, when Kansas is scheduled to visit Cameron Indoor Stadium. ^{[4] [5]}

For Duke, the immediate takeaway is a strong close to the preseason, with Ngongba’s interior scoring and Blackwell’s perimeter punch complementing a composed finish. For Kansas, Stokes’ all-around line and the team’s second-half resistance offer promising signs, while the 13-rebound deficit and free-throw gap identify clear areas to address. The Jayhawks are next scheduled to open the regular season against Fordham on Nov. 2; Duke’s opener is against Army West Point that same date. ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}