Kentucky opens as a 1.5-point underdog vs. Duke in Champions Classic

The opening line has been released for both Champions Classic matchups, including Kentucky’s highly-anticipated matchup against Duke.

Kentucky has opened as a 1.5-point underdog, with the over/under being set at 149.5 points. The moneyline is set +104 for the Wildcats, with the Blue Devils coming in as the -124 favorite.

As for the other matchup of the evening, Kansas is a 5-point favorite over Michigan State, with the over/under set at 145.5 points.

The early betting lines were released by BetRivers.

Kansas vs. Michigan State will open the Champions Classic event at 6 p.m. ET, followed by Kentucky vs. Duke at 9:30 p.m. ET. Both games will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with both matchups televised live on ESPN.

Kentucky’s portion of the Champions Classic was moved to Indianapolis and held without fans in 2020-21 due to COVID-19. The Wildcats took on the Kansas Jayhawks, losing by a final score of 65-62 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Duke, on the other hand, got to take on Michigan State at home, albeit with no fans. Despite playing on the road, the Spartans still managed to come out on top, defeating the Blue Devils by a final score of 75-69.

This time around, the spotlight is on and fans are back. Both matchups will take place under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden in a packed house on November 9.

Who will come out on top this time around?